Posted on 07/08/2010 7:48:37 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Well whaddya know? It turns out that Rhode Island has long been carrying out the procedures at issue in the Arizona immigration statute: As a matter of routine, RI state police check immigration status at traffic stops whenever there is reasonable suspicion to do so, and they report all illegals to the feds for deportation. Besides the usual profiling blather, critics have trotted out the now familiar saw that such procedures hamstring police because they make immigrants afraid to cooperate. But it turns out that it’s the Rhode Island police who insist on enforcing the law. As Cornell law prof William Jacobson details at Legal Insurrection, Colonel Brendan P. Doherty, the state police commander, “refuses to hide from the issue,” explaining, ”I would feel that I’m derelict in my duties to look the other way.”
If, as President Obama and Attorney General Holder claim, there is a federal preemption issue, why hasn’t the administration sued Rhode Island already? After all, Rhode Island is actually enforcing these procedures, while the Arizona law hasn’t even gone into effect yet.
Could it be because — as we’ve discussed here before — the Supreme Court in Muehler v. Mena has already held that police do not need any reason (not probable cause, not reasonable suspicion) to ask a person about his immigration status?
Could it be that just this past February, in Estrada v. Rhode Island, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld the Rhode Island procedures, reasoning that, in Muehler v. Mena, the Supreme Court “held that a police officer does not need independent reasonable suspicion to question an individual about her immigration status…”?
So, we have a Justice Department that drops a case it already won against New Black Panthers who are on tape intimidating voters in blatant violation of federal law, but that sues a sovereign state for enacting a statute in support of immigration enforcement practices that have already been upheld by two of the nation’s highest courts. Perfect.
Wow
Aren’t the procedures also the same as those implemented in Prince William County, Virginia?
What I’d like to know is this — how does Rhode Island compare with the rest of the other states in terms of the IMPACT of their economy from illegals ?
Dothey for instance, have a smaller number of illegals as a percentage of their state population as other states in the North East ?
The answer to this question will give us an indicator of how effective policies like the one put in place in Arizona will be.
We are also trying to get “E-Verify” passed here in RI but the liberals in the General Assembly keep shelving it, refusing to bring it up for vote.
Obama is an agent of KAOS.
Great article and find by Andrew McCarthy! Thanks for posting.
FYI, John McCain received 35% of the vote in Rhode Island in 2008.
It would seem that Rhode Island is racist too. Who knew?
There is history here. Rhode Island was founded as a refuge for Massachusetts heretics and has always been shy of outsiders coming to upset their status quo.
RE:
Well let’s say Prince William County, VA has the same policies as Rhode Island...
What I’d like to know is this — how does Rhode Island or Prince William County compare with the rest of the other states/counties in terms of the IMPACT on their economy from illegals ?
Do they for instance, have a smaller number of illegals as a percentage of their state population as other states in the North East because of this policy in place ?
The answer to this question will give us an indicator of how effective policies like the one put in place in Arizona will be.
Don’t worry, the lib’rals will find an excuse for why it’s different in RI than it is in AZ. For instance, Arizonans are racists while Nor’easterners are a kind, genteel people.
Ping!
“In Rhode Island, home to 1 million people and 30,000 illegal immigrants, the immigration debate has been far more incendiary.”
Perhaps this has something to do with why the Holder DOJ did not mention profiling in its lawsuit.
I got da red-state blues
An dat ain’t not good news
Ahl da political foolz
It’z my wallet dae use
An I don’t know who’s
Gitt’n ahl my money…….
The hypocrisy and racism of the Obama regime is clear for all to see. Not only are they not going after any of the dem states that have similar laws, but why are they not bringing lawsuits against those cities that have signed sanctuary laws? Are those not interfering with federal enforcement of immigration laws?
I hope the judge laughs them out of court.
| State of residence | Estimated population in January | Percent of total | Percent change | Average annual change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All states | 11,555,000 | 100 | 37 | 515,000 |
| California | 2,930,000 | 25 | 13 | 53,333 |
| Texas | 1,640,000 | 14 | 50 | 91,667 |
| Florida | 980,000 | 8 | 23 | 30,000 |
| Illinois | 550,000 | 5 | 25 | 18,333 |
| New York | 540,000 | 5 | - | - |
| Arizona | 500,000 | 4 | 52 | 28,333 |
| Georgia | 490,000 | 4 | 123 | 45,000 |
| New Jersey | 430,000 | 4 | 23 | 13,333 |
| North Carolina | 370,000 | 3 | 42 | 18,333 |
| Washington | 280,000 | 2 | 65 | 18,333 |
| Other states | 2,950,000 | 26 | 69 | 200,000 |
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