PHIL 3515
Arizona Immigration Law-Was it wrong?
If a state passes through a law that takes away people’s rights and freedom because you’re considered to be a minority, is it racist? The law I’m referring to is the Arizona SB 1070, which was introduced in 2010 by the Arizona House Bill 2162, and then signed by Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona.2 The Arizona SB 1070 (also known as The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act) is a legislative Act in Arizona that at the time it was brought up, it was the widest and strictest anti-illegal immigration measure in recent U.S. history.2 The law reads that every alien living in the United States over that is fourteen years or older must have registration papers or documents in their possession at all times; if this condition isn’t followed, its considered a federal misdemeanor crime. The law also allows people in the police force to stop anyone who looks or seems to be from another country, to check if they have the right documents in their possession.2. While the law specifies who “aliens are”, the law makers and officials clearly target the Hispanic race in living in Arizona. According to the Census numbers, the Hispanic population has grown over 50% from 1990 to 2012, which also includes the number of undocumented immigrants living in Arizona.4 The total Latino population in Arizona is increasing every year and the Arizona officials believe that the only way to contain it is by forcing them out of the country. 4 I believe that is why the people in the offices of Arizona are using this law to force all Latinos not just out of Arizona, but in the United States also, which to me is racism and wrong for so many reasons.
The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act was scheduled to go into effect on July 29, 2010, ninety days after the end of the legislative session.2 As soon as Governor Brewer signed the bill, the whole country as taken noticed. While few people agree with this bill, the majority of Americans, especially minorities, took a bad exception to this bill. Like me, the people believe its racism because lawmakers in Arizona want to get rid of people from mexico or other south American countries. Alvaro Huerta, a doctoral student at University of California, Berkeley also believes that this law is racist by saying that, “[If] we critically examine the motives behind these anti-Latino laws, it's clear that many people in Arizona and beyond fear and loathe the long-term consequence of Mexican immigration in particular and the demographic boom of Latinos in general, resulting in the browning of America."1 Latino population is growing rapidly as there are now 1.9 million Hispanics living in Arizona; this is according to a census in 2011.3 There was no way of stopping or slowing it down unless some sort of law goes through. This is where the Arizona SB 1070 law comes in affect. The law gives officers or officials the right to stop anyone who “looks illegal” and ask for papers or documentations.

http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&zid=&zid=9cc0455508abec8f9225248c8684f493&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010750210&userGroupName=oak30216&jsid=225dcd202d42ef08aec2ca77cf92519a
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_SB_1070
3. http://www.azcentral.com/news/arizona/free/20130920arizona-hispanic-population-growth-counties.html
4. http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/26/opinion/navarrette-arizona-law-court/index.html