| Kantor said: You keep telling us what they're not doing. What are they doing? Perhaps I'm reading the excerpt wrong, but it seems to be saying that if a police officer has reason to suspect (?) that somebody is an illegal immigrant, he can ask for proof that he is a legal resident. It depends on what "lawful contact" is. If that means the person is being arrested, then firstly they need to stop using euphimisms, and secondly, this is not only perfectly acceptable, but is pretty much a no-brainer. |
Since the state and local police aren't empowered to enforce immigration, stopping someone for "looking illegal" would most certainly not be lawful contact.
Lawful contact can mean stopping someone for speeding or at a routine traffic stop, all the way up to arresting them for assault or murder. If the person can provide a valid driver's license or other federal, state, or local ID, they shall be presumed to be in the country legally according to this law. If they cannot and there exists "reasonable suspicion" - the guidelines for which, I imagine, are yet to be established; this is why the police would require training before the law goes into effect - then the police can check their immigration status with the feds.
It's not ideal, but then neither is the situation which has been caused entirely by a dereliction of duty on the part of the federal government. It is pretty far from draconian, however, and it doesn't hold a candle to Mexico's own immigration laws which are, in every way, discriminatory and racist.
