Linda Greenhouse: Arizona Is A 'Police State,' 'I'm Not Going Back'

New York Times reporter Linda Greenhouse, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her Supreme Court coverage, has written a seething op-ed condemning the immigration law recently signed in Arizona.

Greenhouse "isn't known for writing provocative opinion pieces," notes Steve Benen. She's clearly outraged now, however.

I'm not going back to Arizona as long as it remains a police state, which is what the appalling anti-immigrant bill that Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law last week has turned it into.

What would Arizona's revered libertarian icon, Barry Goldwater, say about a law that requires the police to demand proof of legal residency from any person with whom they have made "any lawful contact" and about whom they have "reasonable suspicion" that "the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States?" Wasn't the system of internal passports one of the most distasteful features of life in the Soviet Union and apartheid-era South Africa?

You can read the full piece, titled "Breathing While Undocumented," here.

Comments

[pbsoko]

03:10 PM on 06/23/2010

The military is sitting on their hands on bases throughout CA, AZ, NM, TX, and all the soldiers are eager to perform this simple task of securing our border. Yes, that's right; I work closely with the military in my line of work and can tell you that at every base that I have been at so far everyone wishes that the word is given. What's the hold up? The border law was in place long before this new law passed. It is illegal to enter this country without due process, i.e. jump the border. That means an illegal alien is, well, illegal! It's a no brainer.

[CCee]

01:03 PM on 05/03/2010

But how do you tell who should be Treated like an Illegal Alien? Because you don't have ID?, Have ID but lost your ID? Had your wallet stolen on vacation? Or forgot to carry your ID when taking your kids to the park; or dog for a walk?

US Citizen or Not Will be treated as Undocumented Aliens under this law as it does NOT Discriminate. ALL will by law be arrested, their vehicle impounded and they will go to jail.

Some people don't seem to understand that This law applies the same laws to white people as Hispanics and under all circumstances, and they fail to remember that as there are more white people in AZ than Hispanic. So then by percentages, more white people will be detained and arrested without cause other than they look and sound like Acclimated Illegal Canadians and they left thier ID at home...

Whatever color / accent / under this law You will be assumed Illegal by law enforcement If you carry No ID - Doesn't Matter the reason. You go to jail, Otherwise there will proof of profiling on record.

16-17 year old Kids without ID. This Law Evenly applied - if these kids look 18 and they don't carry ID - they are arrested, their cars impounded and they go to jail.

It's very the fact that there is nothing in this bill that DOES Discriminate that makes it so dangerous as a general civil rights concern.

[spytheweb]

05:22 AM on 05/15/2010

You better not travel to another country if you expect to walk around without any papers or ID.

I guess you better make damn sure before you leave the house you have ID on you. If we didn't have so many illegals here this would not be a problem, but they keep coming, 16,000 a week.

[pbsoko]

03:00 PM on 06/23/2010

Is it so hard to understand that illegal aliens are causing a lot of harm to our economy and country? Yes, that means they are hurting YOU! Why would anyone in their right mind be willing to pay higher taxes and insurance premiums in order to support an illegal aliens lifestyle? I wish I was illegal when my children were born! I would have had to pay NOTHING! Instead, I had insurance premiums, deductibles, and finally stuck with a bill for a couple thousand at the end.
I asked, "why did the syringe cost me $300.00?", the hospital worker replied, "how else do you think the hospital can afford to treat illegal aliens without insurance for free!!"
This isn't about skin color either; there's plenty of illegals from Europe, Africa, Asia, etc..
Anyone who is an America citizen that supports illegal immigration should be tried for treason.

[matruski]

12:42 AM on 04/30/2010

Do people here really believe that the multi-ethnic police force in AZ is just going to start harassing any latino looking person they see? This law is designed to give them the ability to enforce immigration laws after they've stopped people for other reasons (traffic stops, disturbing the peace, etc). I just don't get what all the fuss is about - let's wait and see how these officers apply the new law. As far as I'm concerned, if you're an illegal immigrant, start the process of becoming a legal immigrant. If you're complaining about deporting illegal immigrants, than tell your congressman you want to repeal federal immigration laws - don't be hypocritical and only complain about AZ's state level laws. It might prove unconstitutional, but what the law does is little if any different than what federal laws are already supposed to be doing.

[rh68]

11:11 PM on 04/29/2010

I guess she won't be going to Mexico either. As I recall, you have to show your papers quite often down there.

[Zonie]

11:18 PM on 04/29/2010

Nah....you can go....

Juarez is a good starting point.

[Jesterband]

10:34 PM on 04/29/2010

Anyone who thinks this bill ( assuming it is allowed to take effect ),will "fix" the problem is, in the words of Penny,a whackadoodle.
This includes you Zonie.

[Zonie]

11:16 PM on 04/29/2010

And you can't counter my arguments with anything other than name calling and assumption.

Read the bill.

It will stand. It has precedent.

[Jesterband]

11:40 PM on 04/29/2010

Why should I counter your arguements, many others on this thread have answered your posts to my satisfaction.I've noticed when they do you go into ALL CAPS MODE to make your points.

Like I said whackadoodle.

[pbsoko]

03:02 PM on 06/23/2010

It's only a stepping stone to make things more difficult for illegals.
Now, if every state implemented this, then maybe we'd see some results.

[nogornc]

10:12 PM on 04/29/2010

Is this "Zonie" freaking out or what? Who are you? The Governor from AZ? Feeling a little remorse, are you?

[Zonie]

11:00 PM on 04/29/2010

Not at all. Just literate and a resident.

[Zonie]

10:10 PM on 04/29/2010

Oh....and don't use copper either....not unless it is from foreign countries....don't use it since you're boycotting the Copper state.

[pbsoko]

03:03 PM on 06/23/2010

Who cares, if it's copper it'll be stolen by the illegals anyway.

[Zonie]

10:09 PM on 04/29/2010

Pima cotton is from Arizona. Named for the Pima Indians....a good deal is grown on reservations by Native Americans. G

Guess you folks will be boycotting towels too and hurting reservations too.

You must really be proud of yourselves. Approx one third of Arizona land mass is Reservation.
That's right....go after the casinos and tribes here too....don't give them a dime....

You really must be proud of yourselves for the failure to read our bill.

[nogornc]

10:04 PM on 04/29/2010

They do stop cars especially near the border now so what did this legislation accomplish? Why did they need to pass this? I honestly cannot think of a reason accept to pacify the most base elements in AZ. The police don't want it, the government cannot afford it but to please these right wing nuts it passes.

[Zonie]

11:07 PM on 04/29/2010

Not all police are against it. Why did it get passed? Not enough help from the Federal Government....not enough border patrol officers....too much crime attributed to individuals who are not legal residents of the United States. Too much cost to our state financially, socially and environmentally.

PS....Border Patrol stops folks on I 40 as well....not just next to the border.

And if 70 percent of voters approve of this....this isn't an issue of pacifying the base. The base is the people of Arizona. Of all ethnicities and races....including hispanics and native americans....It's likely Arizona is leaps ahead of where many are posting from in the fact that we are a highly diversified state when you speak of race and ethnicity. It's just we'd like those coming here to come legally....our state is hurting financially and some of it is directly attributed to illegal immigration....we live it. The rest of you just spout off about things you know little of and have never experienced.

Walk a mile.

[madisonhack]

11:37 AM on 05/01/2010

Just because a majority vote for an Unconstitutional bill does not make it Constitutional. It's going to be overturned on the grounds that it violates at least parts of the 4th Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendments. There are probably more violations.

This bill was politically motivated to rally the racist base and to keep Latinos away from the voting booths in November.

[pbsoko]

03:04 PM on 06/23/2010

Yeah, CALIFORNIA stops cars at every major interstate that enters CA!
There isn't a stop into AZ you moron!

[UpstateNY]

07:20 PM on 04/29/2010

You cannot get on to a plane without proof of who you are - is Ms Greenhouse not going to fly either?

[Jeff1958]

07:46 PM on 04/29/2010

Incorrect logic. EVERYONE getting on a plane (100%) need to show ID. AZ police will not be stopping 100% of the people they see (which is of course absurd). They will be forced to profile, picking people they think may be illegals, but by doing so, will invariably picking only Hispanics. That violates our Constitution.

[Zonie]

08:32 PM on 04/29/2010

And how does Border Patrol accomplish the same? Hmmmmmmm?

You don't know what you're talking about.

[UpstateNY]

08:34 PM on 04/29/2010

Police make these kinds of decisions all the time. And they step over the line all the time too. They know they have to answer when they do. This isn't that different.

I don't like this law either - but I can see how the people of Arizona (especially in the southern border area) want (and need) something done.

[Zonie]

07:54 PM on 04/29/2010

HAHAhah.....No kidding.

[MichaelStoodUp]

02:10 PM on 04/29/2010

Watch the genesis of this bill. Starts at 1:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#36791568

[ontariogirl]

01:07 PM on 04/29/2010

And Sedona is touted as such a spiritual place......kind of ironic isn't it?

[Zonie]

07:55 PM on 04/29/2010

Not at all. Not unless you're for open borders and losing our sovereignty.

[UpstateNY]

06:54 AM on 04/30/2010

Sedona is a gorgeous place.

So are many other places in Arizona. I have family there and visit often. It's a beautiful place - and you bring your own spirituality wherever you go.

[TXconfidnz]

11:20 AM on 04/29/2010

Furthermore, with the Supreme Court granting corporations "personhood", you can rest assured that the immigration debate will keep getting put on the back-burner until that asinine ruling gets overturned. In the meantime, and if you're looking to further blame someone, make sure you give a long stare at the conservative justices of the Supreme Court that voted to give the corporations (yes, even the ones that systematically employ illegals) the right to use their money to further their criminal activities.

[TXconfidnz]

09:17 AM on 04/29/2010

This is more than a hot button issue because to deal with immigration reform in a way that will produce results will entail fervently going after corporations/businesses/church missions that hire, house, and harbor illegals with substantial convictions AND fines/financial responsibility. The problem is that most politicians, from ANY side of the aisle, balk at the thought because it could very well cost them their political support money as well as their jobs. As soon as we get some people in there with the political cojones to go after these organizations/businesses with a sense of urgency, we'll see a difference. But what Arizona is trying to do simply won't work... to dam up the river, you have to go to the people who control that dam...NOT the people who are probably going to end up helping to build the dam.

[DCopper]

07:37 PM on 04/29/2010

TXconfidnz is the only person who makes complete sense in all these mindless posts. I also believe that we need to begin with enforcing the Labor Laws we have now, which were shunned especially during the Bush regime.

[TXconfidnz]

12:21 PM on 04/30/2010

And to add to that, DCopper, illegal immigration was at an all time high under the Bush administration...

[brklynivn]

12:36 AM on 04/29/2010

This is the same state that is spending millions challenging health care and labeling it as "totalitarian". Go figure.

[Zonie]

08:06 PM on 04/29/2010

Not true. Show me your source because it isn't true.

[brklynivn]

12:56 AM on 04/30/2010

http://fwix.com/phoenix/share/ca65ae6570/new_bill_would_let_arizona_challenge_federal_healthcare_law

[Zonie]

04:24 AM on 04/30/2010

Not one cent spent. This is not passed legislation. Read it again yourself.