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TomD's avatar

If living and working in the US without benefit of "documents" is an infraction, a crime on some level, then it is a crime undertaken in conspiracy--or collusion--with employers, who violate laws by employing the undocumented. When employers are rounded up and punished I may consider supporting mass deportations, but not before. Of course, the former will never happen.

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J AZ's avatar

Excellent work again here, Adrian. Really informative. Thank you.

A key point about the Laken Riley Act I'd like to emphasize: "The bill, which would require detention of undocumented immigrants accused of nonviolent crimes such as shoplifting" - the bill REQUIRES detainers for any alien who is charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to committing an offense including shoplifting.

Think on that a minute. "Admits to committing" doesn't sound like a fully adjudicated event. No due process in that phrase. So a store security guard says you grabbed something off a shelf, you say "sorry, man, I was hungry, I'll pay for it and let's forget it, okay?" The guard says, "you look like a foreigner. Let's see your papers." You're a US citizen but how do you prove that? Will they accept your driver license? Who carries their passport at all times? You did something stupid but petty, but now you're caught up in the ICE machinery for however long it takes. How's that work out with your job, your family, while you're getting it resolved? How much time does that take away from ICE agents going after felons and gangs?

Now suppose you didn't shoplift and you deny it to the security guard. Guard is adamant and calls police, who decide to take the guard's word and arrest you, though it's only their word against yours. But "you acted suspicious" - i.e., you appear "foreign" so your mere existence is suspicious, and we'll sort it all out at the cop house. Now, entirely innocent of ANY offense, you are still subject to the Riley Act. Along with the challenges of the false shoplifting charge, you now have to prove your citizenship/lawful status or be detained for THAT. Double bad day.

For people of color, especially anyone without ready legal & financial resources, this bill is beyond awful.

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