Toward Zero Hour in Arizona

The imminent enactment in Arizona of SB 1070 — better known as the anti-immigration law — is unleashing not only a war of nerves among the Hispanics that live in that state, but also greater activity, with raids targeting illegal immigrants and harassment directed toward those who are considered “suspicious” of not complying with the laws of the U.S.

Next Thursday it will have been three months of promulgation and subsequent approval of the most rigorous judicial order that has been known in the Southern state. The protests which have occurred in the last three months were only able to achieve slight changes, with the results being only cosmetic changes to the law and the lessening of damages to Arizona from the announced boycotts. On April 30, seven days after the signing of the law, Governor Jan Brewer signed some amendments to SB 1070 contained in HB 2162. The worry centered on the impact caused by the cheeky and inhumane racist aspect that was evidenced in the original decision. Initiating a police action that could end in capture and deportation with “reasonable suspicion” only aroused by the color of their skin, by their speech and by their food was highly alarming because neither the legislators of the state nor the governor bothered to hide who they were legislating against.

The modifications of the amendment HB 2162 eliminated the ability of police to use racial profiling to imprison a person, but extended authorization to determine the migratory situation of people to local police (state and municipal), to inspectors and to local representatives, from county to county.

The racial aspect was covered up by the formula of “legal contract” — that is to say, when “a legal stop, detention or arrest” should occur when applying any other law or ordinance of a county, city or town in Arizona.

Almost anything — for example, entering the street where there is not a crosswalk — could be the beginning of the “legal contract” that unleashes a trial and leads to a personal deportation, without regard to family, spouse or children.

The criminalization of immigration that disappeared from the letter of the law persists, strongly rooted in the thinking of many Americans for many reasons.

Former presidential candidate and Arizona Senator John McCain, a defender of immigration reform, is now following the patterns of Governor Brewer. President Obama was referring to him and other Republicans when he indicated that other liberals also abandoned what they were defending a short while ago for the high electoral cost in November. Washington’s efforts to stop the law have not had any response so far in the courts. To the many difficulties that Hondurans are facing because of unemployment, we must now add the validity and application of this inhumane law, starting the day after tomorrow.