[Kobi]

Originally Posted by *Anya*

Hi Kobi,

I may be wrong but based on the portion they upheld, they are still allowing police officers to ask for "papers please" to what, prove if they are not legal immigrants? Then they get to check with the Feds?

How about probable cause to stop them in the first place? Asking for papers, to me, smacks of a police state.

I could be wrong but that's what I read when I read your link. If I am incorrect in how I read "papers please" (and of course the police will say please); then mea culpa.

"WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Monday delivered a split decision in the Obama administration's challenge to Arizona's aggressive immigration law, striking multiple provisions but upholding the "papers please" provision.

Civil rights groups argue the latter measure, a centerpiece of S.B. 1070, invites racial profiling.
Monday's decision on "papers please" -- Section 2(B) in S.B. 1070 -- rested on the more technical issue of whether the law unconstitutionally invaded the federal government's exclusive prerogative to set immigration policy. The justices found that it was not clear whether Arizona was supplanting or supporting federal policy by requiring state law enforcement to demand immigration papers from anyone stopped, detained or arrested in the state who officers reasonably suspect is in the country without authorization.

The provision that was upheld -- at least for now -- also commands police to check all arrestees' immigration status with the federal government before they are released."

Ok, I hear you now. But, I am not sure my fuzzy brain is seeing it in quite the same way.

It seems to me, police checking peoples immigration status, has become commonplace around these parts i.e. New England.

I have known people in Rhode Island, who were deported after they were found to be driving without a license. They were stopped for a traffic violation, no license, check immigration database, call immigration, immigration makes decision to hold or release, pursue deportation or let it go.

The newspapers here on the Cape ran a series of articles back when Arizona enacted their law, focusing on how police routinely checked on immigration status on people they stopped, arrested, and/or charged with a crime. They could not stop them just to ask for immigration status but once stopped they could pursue this. Apparently the police have access to the immigration database system and check it routinely. The police here cannot not hold you for immigration violations. They can only report it to immigration and immigration has to decide whether the person gets held and transferred to their custody for the immigration issue. Police here were ticked off that they would call immigration only to be told thanks but we arent interested.

Under homeland security, a lot of questionable stuff has become customary and routine. We sanctioned a police state the moment the Patriot Act was signed.

So, the provision left untouched, really seems like a hollow conservative victory to me. But, I can be naive like that. Just seems to me, Arizona is not going to be wanting to foot the huge bill for doing these checks on a widespread basis, when in reality, their hands are tied. It is still immigrations ballgame.

Be interesting to read up on the potential implications of the decision as more and more pundits weigh in on it.
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Might have to disregard this entire post. Just realized I tried to inflict logic in relation to potential governmental behavior and bigotry. Silly me.