Indiana

Got Proof?

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

I’ve already written about how I think Arizona’s law regarding illegal immigration is unconstitutional so there’s no need to go down that road in the wake the Justice Department’s lawsuit that was filed against the state.

However,  I would like to bring up something else.   Let’s say, for sake of argument, Indiana adopted a law similar to Arizona’s.  I argue the only way to avoid the potential discriminatory impact of the law would be for police to ask everyone for proof of citizenship during a lawful stop.

So in that spirit, I have a rather simple question.  If you were pulled over, could you provide proof of citizenship?

If you have a passport or a new Secure ID driver’s license, you’re in good shape.

Regular driver’s license?  Social security card?  Military ID?  Sorry, those don’t cut it.   Those documents don’t prove citizenship, because resident aliens can also get them.  They help in proving your identity, but not your citizenship.

So do you have any other papers on you?  I know some people do carry wallet-sized photo copies of their birth certificates, but an officer may have a little trouble making that out.

What’s the point?  My point is the best way to deal with the illegal immigration problem is to treat it like the economic issue of supply and demand.  We reduce the demand for the cheap labor and it will go away.  It’s pretty simple.  Plus getting pulled over and a police officer asking me  “Ihre unterlagen bitte”  just sounds kind of weird.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on July 07, 2010 (boomark / email).