America vs. America

The state of Arizona left the country standing at a crossroads with its harsh measures against increasing immigration from Mexico.

The southern U.S. state, which shares a border with Mexico, has shaken the American value system. Arizona adopted a harsh law against illegal immigration, and a considerable number of Americans strongly disagree with the legislation. They not only consider it racist but also think that it undermines the foundations of the country.

The law treats any illegal resident within the state as a criminal — that is, someone who has not obtained legal permission to work and/or reside in the state. Officers have the right to stop and check anyone whom they suspect of having made such an offense. If the foreigner does not provide legal documentation — a green card, passport or driver license — then an arrest and a deportation from the state must follow.

On April 14 the law was approved in the House of Representatives of Arizona and was signed by Gov. Jan Brewer 10 days later. The law takes effect July 29. While signing the law, Brewer stated that it “strengthens the laws of our state … We cannot sacrifice our safety to the murderous greed of drug cartels. We cannot stand idly by as drop houses, kidnappings and violence compromise our quality of life.”

Opponents, however, consider the law racist and unconstitutional because the routine checks will happen based solely upon ethnic characteristics such as skin color, overall appearance, fluency in a foreign language, etc.

Contemporary America did indeed emerge out of immigrants, many of them illegal.

There is no other country with such “immigration dimensions.” In 1787, when the American Constitution was adopted, the initial Confederation had only four million residents living in only 13 states. They were all immigrants from Western or Central Europe. Today the U.S. population exceeds 310 million, and it continues to grow naturally and through immigration. During the 1990s the USA had given shelter to 14 million immigrants. Annually the American population grows by two million naturally and by one million through immigration. Not surprisingly, Americans call their country an “ethnic boiling pot,” containing the whole world in itself. Twenty-two different ethnic and racial communities in the U.S. make up more than one million people. Therefore, immigration is not just a natural state for America; it is in its blood. Most Americans are convinced that the opportunity to become a U.S. citizen should be given to anyone who wants to take it — including illegal immigrants, as long as the individual has not committed any crimes.

At the same time, things are multifaceted and not one-dimensional. Recently immigration has shown its negative side. It accelerates social tension and increases crime rates. It also threatens citizens’ security and hinders the cultural identity of the American population. The new immigrants refuse to study English or to fit into the norms of American society, and they also strive to separate themselves into distinct regions.

Annually 600,000 Mexicans illegally cross the U.S. border, primarily in Arizona. According to local journalists, the influx of settlers is the main reason for the growth in crime in the state. Roughly estimated, there are 28.1 million Mexicans living in the U.S., at least 11 million of whom reside illegally and at least 460,000 of whom are situated precisely in Arizona. According to data from 2010, nearly eight percent of the 6.5 million population in the state are illegal immigrants.

In 2006, President George Bush sent 6,000 troops from the National Guard to the 1,070-mile border with Mexico and ordered the establishment of a 3-meter fence with appropriate facilities. Illegal resident aliens who had not committed offenses were subject to legalization. For a number of reasons, however, his plan did not last long.

Barack Obama sent another 1,200 soldiers to guard the border, but according to the Republicans, five times more soldiers and another $800 million are necessary to accomplish border patrol efficiently.

Arizona refused to rely solely on the federal government on the issue of illegal immigration.

Another statement made by Gov. Brewer during the endorsement of the law is significant. According to Brewer, the law represents another tool for the state “to solve a crisis we did not create and the federal government has refused to fix.” Republican Sen. Russell Pearce of Arizona called the endorsement of the law “a good day for America.” A number of law enforcement officials think that the law bestows them with new tools in the struggle against illegal immigrants and criminal elements. The neighboring state of Texas, which also shares a border with Mexico, will follow Arizona’s steps by preparing new legislation similar to the one adopted in Arizona. Sociologists have not failed to explore public opinion. According to the Ipsos-McClatchy poll that questioned more than 1,000 Americans, around 61 percent are in favor of the new law. According to another questionnaire, only 56 percent of Americans think that Department of Justice should not challenge the new law in federal court. Twenty-six percent respondents hold the opposite opinion.

However, the opponents are not a small number — they are everywhere, from the top administration to the ordinary clerks. During his meeting with Brewer, President Obama said that the law is discriminatory. “The law does nothing to improve border security or address the core issues of illegal immigration,” said Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, who is the Democratic candidate for gubernatorial elections this fall.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger jokingly commented, “With my accent, I was afraid they would try to deport me.” The heads of the police departments in different towns in Arizona, Texas and California (all bordering Mexico) spread the opinion that the new rules will undermine the trust in the police and will ruin the relationship between the police and the citizenry. The city councils of San Francisco and Los Angeles have voted to boycott the law in Arizona. According to the Washington Post, the law caused 23 conferences and meetings in Arizona to be canceled. Washington, New York, Chicago, Oakland and El Paso also plan on a boycott. Major League Baseball Executive Director Michael Weiner threatened to cancel next year’s World Series that would be held in Arizona. The basketball team of a Chicago school refused to participate in a tournament in Arizona. The media has estimated that the state’s budget will decrease by millions due to the cancellation of cultural and sports events and the reduction in the number of tourists in Arizona. Local Mexican communities compared the law to the internment of Japanese citizens during the Second World War and to apartheid in South Africa. Musicians began a “Sound Strike,” initiated by Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine. Famous for his active social position, he stated that the new law will chase citizens out not only because of their skin color but also because of the music they listen to and the things they say.

To cut a long story short, this is the beginning of a national campaign against Arizona.

The state has left America at a crossroads. Is the law really that extreme? After all, in their immigration policies the USA has previously undertaken even harsher actions. Because of the influx of Chinese immigrants to California in the 1890s, the U.S. adopted a law that forbade not only the immigration but also any naturalization of the Chinese. Thus within a period of 40 years, the Chinese population in the U.S. decreased by 40 percent.

The city councils of Tucson and Flagstaff as well as two human rights organizations are currently challenging the law in court. At present the combat takes place in courtrooms, where lawyers from the two sides try to take power with clauses, evidence and arguments. The pressure on Arizona is strong, but it is also possible for the legislators to mitigate it.

Today 79 percent of the 310 million U.S. population consists of whites, 15 percent is Latino, 13 percent is black and four percent is Asian. Forecasts predict that around the year of 2050, white Americans will be a minority. Therefore, on July 29 we will know which face of America will win — the traditional English-speaking or the multilingual one, white America or America of color.