Have The Crackdowns On Immigration Gone Too Far? : NPR
November 25, 2011
The architect of Arizona’s controversial immigration law has been voted out of office. That law and similar statutes are undergoing difficult court challenges. And the strictest law, in Alabama, has ignited a withering backlash expected to force major changes.
Have the crackdowns on illegal immigration finally gone too far?
“If you asked me this question about a year ago, I would tell you we were on the cusp of seeing more anti-immigration legislation,” says immigration analyst Muzaffar Chishti of the Migration Policy Institute. “Now, what’s happening is very interesting. I think there is evidence of overreach and some sobering reassessments of ‘Is this the right thing to do?’ “
A Cautionary Tale
The latest cautionary tale comes from Alabama, home of the nation’s toughest immigration enforcement law. State lawmakers insist they were right to pass the law, but have decided to amend it in response to severe criticism and confusion among residents and business owners. The lawmakers say they want to change regulations that have produced consequences well beyond the intent of deterring illegal immigrants.
An example of the law’s unintended results played out recently in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with the arrest of a Mercedes-Benz executive for driving a rental car without proper ID. The man, who is from Germany and produced only a German ID, was visiting the Mercedes manufacturing plant in the state.
Under previous state law, he would only have been ticketed. But Alabama’s new immigration law requires everyone to carry a valid identification card, or risk being jailed. The law also directs police to question the immigration status of individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.
Unintended Consequences
A broader concern is language in the law requiring proof of legal status for “any transaction between a person and the state or a political subdivision of the state.” Critics say the provision is vaguely written and exposes individuals and businesses alike to criminal charges for a range of activities, from the issuing of government-issued licenses to flu shots.
Most of us realize we made some mistakes in this bill. We overreached, and we want to see if we can clear up some unintended consequences.
- Alabama State Sen. Gerald Dial
Businesses and ministers in particular object to another provision that makes it a felony for those who aid an illegal immigrant, even unknowingly.
“Most of us realize we made some mistakes in this bill. We overreached, and we want to see if we can clear up some unintended consequences,” says Alabama state Sen. Gerald Dial, a Republican who voted for the law and is one of the lawmakers crafting potential amendments.