| The American Bar Association on Thursday denounced
Arizona's strict new immigration law as racist and unconstitutional
as they joined a lawsuit seeking to derail implementation of the
measure that is set to take effect at the end of this month.
The association is teaming up with the ACLU and a coalition of civil
rights groups who filed a class-action lawsuit against Arizona in
May, contending that the new law invites racial profiling, violates
the First Amendment and interferes with federal law.
"While the ABA typically files amicus briefs only in the highest
federal or state court that will consider a matter, the ABA believes
the issues before this court are of such significance to the
American people and the practice of law that they must be addressed
at this stage of the proceedings," the association said in the
brief.
The law makes illegal immigration a state crime and allows local law
enforcement to question people about their immigration status and
arrest them if they can't provide proper documentation.
The association argued that if the law is implemented, it will
promote racial profiling, lead to unlawful and unreasonable
detentions and cause increased burdens and new obligations for the
state's indigent defense system, courts and prosecutors.
Supporters of the law deny that it will lead to racial profiling and
argue that Arizona is simply enforcing federal law.
But the federal government is also suing Arizona as President Obama
presses lawmakers to pass a comprehensive immigration overhaul that
includes a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 12 million
illegal immigrants in the country – a proposal that has killed prior
attempts in Congress to revamp the system.
* * * * *
Good thing I never tried to study law when
I was choosing a career. I never could have wrapped my poor brain
around the concept that foreign nationals have "civil rights" under
U.S. Law, illegal immigration is not illegal, and the taxpayers have
an obligation to support anyone who makes it across the border, just
as surely as the runner who tags first base before the ball is
"safe".
If we did things my way, and if I was
healthier, I'd be down on the South Texas border with a sniper
rifle, helping the Border Patrol and saving tax money that's being
spent on apprehension and deportation cycles. I wasn't smart enough
to be a lawyer, so my chosen career was preventing countries from
being invaded by other countries.

Note: This photo was found on the web and is used
to illustrate the concept of "sniper".
This website does not condone the killing of innocent animals.*
*The collective phrase "innocent
animals" as used in this context is inclusive of all living
creatures except politicians, lawyers, illegal immigrants and F***ing
squirrels.
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