AZ BEGINS IMPLEMENTATION OF AMENDED IMMIGRATION LAW ...

By Fleur Magbanua-Mansur

June 26, 2012

PHOENIX?Arizona began implementing the piece of its anti-illegal immigration law that survived the supreme court?s ruling on Monday, requiring police officers to verify immigration status during routine stops if they have a ?reasonable? suspicion that someone may be in the country illegally.
Police officers reportedly may now verify the immigration status of people during routine stops, if they have a reasonable suspicion that an individual may be an undocumented immigrant.

Arizona officers reportedly were told to look for particular signs such as lack of license, driving a car with foreign plates, difficulty speaking English, and nervousness before they ask for immigration papers.

But according to reports from Yahoo News, some police officers in the state are worried they may be bombarded with lawsuits from people who think they were improperly questioned about their status, or have been held for too long.
MIXED REACTIONS

Filipinos living in Arizona expressed mixed reactions after yesterday?s groundbreaking legal challenge to SB 1070.

?It?s not the job of police officer to ask any person that they stop through traffic lights or any encounter,? said Janet Pilapil-Oliveros of Phoenix, Arizona. ?They are not supposed to act as immigration agents. They are police officers, they are here to fight crimes to work with people and build relations with people in the community.?

But Marie Cunning, a Filipino community leader and business owner had a different view. She said she supports the court?s decision of allowing police to verify a person?s immigration status if there is reasonable suspicion that the person is in the country illegally.

?I am ecstatic to find out that the supreme court ruled in favor of the heart of SB 1070,?said Cunning. ?If it?s a way to weed out the bad from the good, then let?s do it.?

But immigration lawyer, Lemuel Carlos, said he is worried that the approved provision of the law may open doors to racial profiling.

?Without any clear criteria, what does an illegal immigrant look like? Unfortunately that?s where the stereotypes would come into place like names, accent, color of skin, ?said Carlos.

- With Balitang America Staff and reports from Yahoo News

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