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Subscribe to RSSAlthough the Supreme Court only upheld the 'show your papers' part of Arizona's controversial immigration law, some undocumented immigrants worry about being stopped while out in public. NBC's Mike Taibbi reports.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down much of Arizona’s strict anti-illegal immigration law but upheld one of its most controversial provisions has some illegal aliens on edge. But will it prompt them to pack their bags and leave the state anytime soon?
Some may leave but more likely than not most will stay put, say immigration-rights activists and illegal immigrants contacted by msnbc.com.
“The main thing we’re focusing on is advocating for families not to flee Arizona, to stay here and help fight for their rights to be here,” said Opal Tometi, a member of the board of the Puente Movement, an Arizona-based immigrant rights group, and national organizer for the Black Alliance for Just Immigration.
Leticia Ramirez, a mother of three who lives in the Phoenix area and says she is undocumented, said the mixed Supreme Court ruling could make day-to-day life harder for her family but they plan to stay anyway.
Ross D. Franklin / AP
Members of Promise Arizona, from left, Leonila Martinez, Patricia Rosas and Gustavo Cruz, react to the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Arizona's controversial immigration law in Phoenix on Monday.
“If we fight together it’s going to be better for us than just one person fighting for all the community,” she said.
The Supreme Court struck down key provisions of Arizona’s SB 1070 but said the state could go forward with a much-debated portion requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone they stop, detain or arrest for other reasons if they have “reasonable suspicion” that the person is in the country illegally. Even there, though, the justices said the "show me your papers” provision could be subject to additional legal challenges and advised states not to apply the law in such a sweeping way that it would become unconstitutional. They also said officers can't arrest people on minor immigration charges.
Gov. Brewer: 'Heart' of immigration law proven constitutional
Tometi said the provision requiring police to try to determine the immigration status of a person stopped for other reasons might deter some undocumented immigrants from coming to Arizona. But she says it’s unlikely to lead to full-scale departures from the state, especially for families that have been in Arizona illegally for years -- and even decades.
”I think that people will stay,” she said.
“What we’ve decided as a community in Arizona is that we’re going to do community organizing and defend our families, whether they’re documented or undocumented,” Tometi said.
Both sides declare victory in court's immigration ruling
She said activists are establishing “barrio defense committees“-- volunteer neighborhood committees that provide a network of support services for people who might be swept up in detention or deportation proceedings.
Ramirez, who said she has been in the U.S. for 18 years, said the ruling will make routine day-to-day activities “difficult” for her family.
“We’re not going to be living a normal life anymore. We’ll be afraid when we get stopped,” she said.
“We’re not going to be able to take my kids to soccer practice, to soccer games, to movies, to the mall because I’m afraid we're going to be stopped. I don’t want to put my kids in that situation. A lot of people won’t even want to take their kids to school because they’re afraid of being stopped.”
She said while some illegal immigrants might leave, she’s determined to stay.
“Leaving Arizona leaving is not going to resolve anything,” Ramirez said. “I would say to my community: Stay so we can fight together. People want to raise their kids and have a family. They’re going to risk it.”
Read the Supreme Court decision on SB 1070
Fernando Lopez, 21, says he experienced the provision firsthand -- being arrested after an Arizona Highway patrolman asked for his papers. The Mexican national living in Phoenix is fighting deportation and says even if he hadn't been caught he'd still fight to stay in the U.S.
"My brother left two years ago when the law was passed," he told msnbc.com, but "running is not the solution."
"The least we can do is organize as a community," said Lopez, who does acknowledge it's easier for him to stay since he's not married and has no children.
The Arizona DREAM Act Coalition, an organization of immigrant youth and their supporters, said the section that was upheld is "conducive to racially profiling citizens, legal residents and undocumented immigrants."
"We will continue to educate our community on how we can overcome the implementation of this section so the impact to the people in our state is minimized," the group said in a statement.
"We encourage the community to stand firm, to not panic, and to stay informed."
Natalie Cruz, 24, also plans to stay and hopes the DREAM Act will give her some protection while she studies in Phoenix. Among her family, one aunt said she'd return to Mexico if the court upheld the police provision, Cruz said, but others plan to stay.
That's not to say life will be the same. "It is going to change how I do things -- like driving," Cruz said.
Jim Gilchrist, founder and president of the Minuteman Project, a California-based group that advocates tough enforcement of immigration laws, says the Supreme Court opinion is unlikely to have a dramatic impact on illegal immigrants in Arizona.
While local police can inquire about the legal status of someone they stop for probable cause for something else, “that’s apparently all they can do,” Gilchrist said.
“It doesn’t put any serious teeth into enforcing immigration laws,” he said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says even though the agency expects a lot more calls from Arizona police to check people's immigration status, deportations won't necessarily increase because federal officials are only targeting those who have been convicted of a felony or present a securty threat.
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Why can this country not get firm on this issue? Ok, it might be uncomfortable for some while we are weeding out the undocumented / illegal. But it would be for the good of the country. The Country. Some folks like to say how valuable the contribution of the undocumented /illegal is - while that was true of the first wave of immigrants who came here and wanted to be Americans, more than just citizens, they wanted to be Americans. This current wave not so much. Here in CA a couple of years ago on May Day they marched in the streets with Mexican Flags - Mexican Flags ! What a slap in the face! If that was not a clear statement as to their feelings for wanting to be Americans I not sure what else one would need for proof. Yeah, they come here with their hands out, but wanting to become part of the American fabric, they'd rather chant "La Raza" and wave their Mexican Flags. I'm betting that the Mexican president, laughed out loud. Lord a mighty, we need to clamp down our borders and tell everyone, sorry we're full up.
We've had the same marches in Phoenix with mobs with Mexican flags.
Waving foreign flags, screaming about your imaginary rights is not a way to get people
to see your "plight".
Their "dream act" is giving a lot of us nightmares.
"Leaving Arizona? After Supreme Court ruling some illegal immigrants may go, others vow to stay"
Lets hope they go. Come here legally or get the hell out.
My childre are hispanic, their mother is from Central America where I met her in the 1980s. I speak the language and for my job I have lived and worked in Mexico several times over the past 20 years. I am not some redneck or "christian taliban" but I think we need to militarize the border and strictly enforce the laws. I voted for Obama last time but I don't know if I can again this time. Can't vote for Romney so I will just leave that part blank and in Wisconsin every vote counts. I think I have had enough "hope and change". Like so many politicians there is no right or wrong, :situational morality I think it is what it is called. If you are here without permission you are not "undocumented" you are ILLEGAL, there is no wiggle room.
Illegal is Illegal, if I do something illegal I get charged with a crime not rewarded with section 8 housing, food stamps, welfare, etc. Go back and come in legally we welcome our LEGAL immigrants.
We need to tell states like New Mexico that giving drivers licenses to illegal aliens does nothing but assist them to break the law. They get these legal documents and use them to hide within this country. It's time that we start taking from, and not giving, to these criminals that have chosen to enter this country illegaly. It is a crying shame that they have received more benefits than I do and I was born, raised and pay all my taxes in this country just so they can get welfare and medicaid off of my dollar. Whoops, almost forgot college educations too.
This is the fault of our do nothing government and administration.
enforce our laws or change them..
oblamo will throw them under the bus after he gets their votes!
Sorry to disappoint you but you have no right to be here.
They have ever right under the treaty of guadalupe --read it! the treaty that the US signed with Mexico=-it gave free passage to all Mexicans to their ancestral lands that were to be taken at the time.
Go sit on your "ancestral lands" - HOWEVER, we will NOT put up free housing for you, hand out food stamp/WIC cards, give you free medical care, reduced rate tuition, etc., etc. ad nauseum.
Sure, go sit - but, this country will no longer give you all that free chit.
Comprende?
Illegal is the keyword and if you don't know what it means look it up. I'm tired of pressing 1 for english.
I find it hilarious that some would tell Mexicans, especially in Arizona, a historically Mexican state that was TAKEN from Mexico--- that they should go home, you would have to be devoid of any sense of history to not see the irony of it. Mexicans are indegenous to the region far more than the European transplants that now advocate that "they go home" ---- the fact remains that demographics will change ALL OF THIS for the LEGAL Mexicans in the state and indeed the region (already dominate California and New Mexico) --- are a FAST growing political force --the LEGAL MEXICANS will have a POWERFUL AND GROWING VOICE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTION----JUST ASK THE CANDIDATES---- almost 70% of all Hispanics in this country are Mexican. THESE PEOPLE CANNOT BE DEPORTED AND THEY WILL VOTE!
War is hell, but when the borders were set they failed to be on this side of the fence. GET THE HELL OUT !!!!
Try coming back after you have applied through the proper channels.
By the way George.. Only US citizens can vote in an election, so the illegals have no say. We The People (Legal Citizens) will have our say and if you should look through the posts in this forum It is very clear what that say will be. ""You Lose!!"
If they want to claim Arizona and Mexico as part of Mexico then they should go to war and try to take it back. Not that I think Mexico would stand a chance against our current military. At least our soldiers would be able to go home on the weekends in such a war.
So, George, what do you tell all of the illegal immigrants here in Ohio? I live in a sanctuary city. I don't think Ohio was part of the Treaty Of Guadalupe. Can I send them to you? Give me your address, please, I'll gladly pay for the transportation.
“We’re not going to be living a normal life anymore. We’ll be afraid when we get stopped" says one illegal. Been here for 18 years and never thought to become legal? I know our Govt is slow on process but geesh come on 18 years. There's a way to fix our debt problem and fix the illegal immigration issue all at one time. First close down the border from future abuse, second nullify the anchor baby rule and make it retroactive 20 years prior, and lastly let them buy there way in for 20 or 30 thousand a piece. That's a cheap price to pay for US citizenship considering the last 35 years or so I have paid 100's of thousands in state and federal taxes not including social security to pay for all this free entitlement. Let's see know 10 or 11 million illegals at 20K a piece for freedom and them starting to pay taxes.
Just some reasonable deductions:
IF you are an illegal alien living in Arizona (or any state in the U.S.) and you cant work without citizen verification (E-Verify) how are you supporting yourself??????
1. Using stolen identities to work????
2. Using stolen identities to obtain welfare/aid.????
3. Independantly wealthy and do not need to work.???
I live in Arizona..and the change in this state is disgusting...so I have the police, ICE and Border Patrol phone numbers in my cell phone and will not hesistate to call all of them if I see suspicious activity of any type,,,this is my country..I am a legal citizen and will do what I can to protect it...as far as I can see..these illegals have also committed crimes for sneaking their illegal children across the borders...sorta like child abuse in a way..teaching them to blatently break the laws in this country...teach them to disrespect the legal citizens of this country..teach them to lie and use false ID's and break our laws...yep..send everyone over 30 back to their homelands...no excuses folks.,...just the laws you don't want to abide by...how rude and disrepectful you illegals are.
If you want to come to the country do it legally...or go home.
"“The main thing we’re focusing on is advocating for families not to flee Arizona, to stay here and help fight for their rights to be here,” said Opal Tometi, a member of the board of the Puente Movement, an Arizona-based immigrant rights group, and national organizer for the Black Alliance for Just Immigration."
What rights?
WTH makes them think they have a RIGHT to be here?! if they are here illegally, then they are committing a crime and should be deported to wherever it is they came from.
Go home. Apply to enter the US legally. Then, we'll be happy to have you here.
"running is not the solution."
But it was the solution when they ran away from Mexico instead of dealing with the Problems there?
So they come here and create problems.
The reason to stay as long as possible is the hope that another dumba$$ liberal like Ronny Raygun gives them all amnesty. History does repeat itself.
I think the IRS should run Immigration and Naturalization. Think about it. You haven't registered to be a US citizen? They will hunt you down and find you just like they do when you owe money. I just received a letter stating that I owed $6.27 for the year 2010. If that isn't efficient I don't know what is. Can you imagine what they could do with undocumented immigration?
May be you are right the IRS could do a better job. But asked yourself this? What do they do whit the taxes that the illegals pay and don't file income tax at the end of the year? They sould not be asking you for $6.27.
Did I accidentally drop acid this morning, or are people who are in this country illegally ranting about their "rights"? Huh? If you want to fight to make things better, begin in your home country. Don't run away from the problems there, stay there and work to fix them.
This country was founded on rebellion by the common people when they rose up against tyranny by the government in England. Read (if you're literate, that is!) the entire history of the American Revolution and use it as a blueprint to change the situation in your own country instead of coming here and demanding that we just roll over, let you in and give you everything to which you think you are entitled.
Looks like the costs for CA to pay for education, social services, and public safety for illegal aliens just went up.
Best place for them to go?
Chicago.
They will be treated well there.
Leonila Martinez, Patricia Rosas and Gustavo Cruz: What part of you're all stupid law breaking morons, don't you understand?
What right to be here? You're illegal! Get that? Illegal!
To simplify for you since you obviously don't understand our language, that means not legal! You have no right to be here.
Notice to all illegal aliens...
You were not born with a right to be in the United States.
Your individual plights are not important. You can stand in line with everyone else from the world that wants to enter this country LEGALLY. Just because you are hispanic does not give you preferential rights to deflle and to ignore our laws.
When this regime of treason is kicked out of office in November, you need to fear that prospect. Save your integrity and sob stories and take your butts back to your native country. If you do not do so voluntarily, you will be rounded up and sent back against your will. That is not a threat. That is a promise. We have no room for selfish law-breakers who steal our American experience.
Get the hell out of our country.
Wait a minute MSNBC.... I thought Obama won today? Now you are saying he lost and the criminals whose votes he is counting on are nervous? Your headlines are a little too contradictory in their propaganda.
Can we spin this into a win that fits our agenda as well as a loss that fits our agenda? lets give it a try:
"Victory for Obama!" um.... we mean "Sympathy for foreign criminals after this loss!"