Racial profiling

Racial profiling is a particularly devious form of racism. Airlines informally use it by pulling aside people of middle eastern descent to check for dangerous materials in their luggage. However, Arizona took it to a new extreme when it passed a law requiring police officers to investigate the immigration status of all noncriminals who they suspect to be undocumented. Feeling that this new law would lead to a new level of racial profiling, a Phoenix police officer sued. Finally, the case reached the federal level, as U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton is currently hearing it. The arguments from both sides have brought up an age old conflict: that of States powers versus federal powers. Proponents for the bill say that the State should help the Federal government do a job that it has trouble with on its own. Opponents of the bill, such as Stephen Montoyo, basically state that “we have only one nation; we can only have one immigration law”. Currently Judge Bolton has given no indication of what decision she shall make, nor when she shall make it. The law goes into effect July 29, and could be the model for other such laws. It behooves Americans to watch this law closely and understand the implications inherent in it; not only for the rights of the minorities that will be trampled on, but for the power it shall grant to the State government. Therefore, we must closely monitor this law.