Suspension in Arizona

Published in El País
(Spain) on 30 July 2010
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Brandon Brewer. Edited by Amy Wong.
When it comes to the defense of liberty, the American justice system finally deserves some respect. At the request of the White House, a judge has blocked the most authoritarian and racist parts of the law that the state of Arizona approved months ago against the immigrants labeled “illegals.” The judge chose to defend constitutional principles and individual rights over public opinion, which prefers the supposed guarantee of security for citizens over the principles of a democracy, by more than a 60 percent margin.

Barack Obama appealed against the law by hiding behind a procedural defect, namely the transgression of federal policy— as it relates to immigration — on behalf of the state of Arizona. But don't be mistaken by this formality: following strict liberal tradition, the Democratic administration has sided with the rights of the individual. The decision will likely lead to political fallout in the next Congressional elections, but it allows Obama, who made immigration reform one of the trump cards of his presidential campaign, to maintain his dignity without putting himself in doubt.

The judge Susan Bolton, in line with decisions that have historically consolidated American democracy, prohibits police in Arizona from detaining whomever exhibits the appearance (How can they judge this?) of an illegal immigrant. She also blocked the provision in which failing to carry official identification would constitute a crime. Thus, the government's grounds for challenging the law remained valid, with some exceptions including punishing citizens who pick up and transport undocumented immigrants, who number close to half a million in the Grand Canyon State.

The governor of Arizona announced that she will appeal the decision. However, it's not likely that the highest court in the U.S. will guarantee her arguments if the matter reaches the Supreme Court, as it appears it will; after all, it is conscious of the immigrant origin that forms part of the hard nucleus of the panoply of patriotic values in the U.S. This unusual intervention by Washington in state legislation moves Obama towards center-left, at least in popular perception, as has occurred with health and financial reform. It's something to keep in mind come November.


En asuntos de defensa de las libertades, al final hay que rendir pleitesía a la justicia estadounidense. A instancias de la Casa Blanca, una juez ha suspendido provisionalmente los artículos más autoritarios y racistas de la ley que el Estado de Arizona aprobó hace meses contra los inmigrantes calificados de "ilegales". La juez defiende los principios constitucionales y los derechos individuales por encima del alineamiento de la población, que en más de un 60% prefiere las supuestas garantías de seguridad ciudadana que otorga la norma impugnada a los principios del Estado de derecho.

Barack Obama recurrió la ley amparándose en un defecto procedimental, la invasión de competencias federales -todo lo relativo a inmigración- realizada por el Estado de Arizona. Pero el formalismo no induce a error: en estricta conducta liberal, el Gobierno demócrata ha optado por los derechos. Es probable que la decisión acarree al inquilino de la Casa Blanca un coste político en las próximas elecciones al Congreso, pero le otorga un plus de dignidad al que Obama, que hizo de la ordenación migratoria una de las bazas de su campaña a la presidencia, no podía renunciar sin ponerse en entredicho.

La juez Susan Bolton -en la línea de las decisiones que han ido consolidando históricamente la democracia americana- prohíbe la patente de corso a la policía de Arizona para detener a quien exhiba una apariencia (¿cómo se juzga eso?) de inmigrante entrado ilegalmente. Y descarta que el hecho de no portar documentación oficial de identidad constituya delito. Da por válidos, pues, los motivos de impugnación alegados por el Gobierno. Pero no algunos otros, como el castigo a los ciudadanos que recojan y transporten a inmigrantes indocumentados, cercanos al medio millón en el Estado del Gran Cañón.

La gobernadora de Arizona anuncia que recurrirá la decisión judicial. Pero no es probable que si, como parece, el asunto acaba en el Supremo el más alto tribunal estadounidense avale sus argumentos; no en vano la conciencia del origen inmigrante forma parte del núcleo duro de la panoplia de valores patrióticos en EE UU. Esta inusual intromisión de Washington en la legislación de los Estados desplaza claramente a Obama hacia el centro-izquierda, al menos en la percepción popular, como ha sucedido en las reformas sanitaria o financiera. Es un dato a tener en cuenta ante los comicios de noviembre.
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