Update: Arizona governor signs the law making people with brown skin suspect of breaking the law. Read the bill here.
President Barack Obama on Thursday criticized a pending Arizona law that would make it a state crime to be in the United States illegally and require anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant to produce identification.Arizona has a huge immigration problem. But wouldn't it be nice if right wing types could talk about immigrants as if they were actually people. Instead, they blame them for every social ill. They use hate speech and they discriminate. Mexicans come here to do the low-wage jobs that Americans won't do.
Such legislation could "threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans," the president said during a naturalization ceremony for members of the United States Armed Services. MSNBC
Why not crack down on the employers that are exploiting people? If companies had to pay a legal and livable wage, then there wouldn't be illegal immigration, because Americans would sign up for those jobs.
John McCain, fighting for his Senate seat, supports the legislation. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer could veto the bill, but 70% of people in Arizona support it. Arizona has an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants and is the nation's busiest border crossing point.
Other provisions of the bill allow lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of immigration laws, and make it illegal to hire illegal immigrants for day labor or knowingly transport them.
The bill's sponsor, Republican Sen. Russell Pearce of Mesa, said it would remove "political handcuffs" from police and help drive illegal immigrants from the state.
These are Obama's comments on Arizona's pending law at the end of the ceremony. I'll post full video when it comes available.
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