PHOENIX — Arizona lawmakers approved yet another sweeping bill Tuesday aimed toward beefing up law enforcement efforts. Critics again complain that this new legislation may lead to racial profiling and other abuses.
The state Senate voted almost completely along party lines to send the bill to the governors office. Gov. Brewer has not taken a position on the measure championed by opposing progressives. The House approved the bill April 24.
"This bill does a lot to continue to establish an environment of law and order to the state of Arizona," said Jesus Medoza, citizen of Guadalupe, who cited costly crimes committed by the wealthiest citizens of Arizona and the recent economic collapse as the reasoning behind the movement.
The new measure would mark the latest in a series of drastic measures taken by the Arizona legislature, which has an estimated 460,000 white collar criminals in its ranks of higher class individuals.
Along with recently passed immigration laws that have caused a swirl of controversy across the nation, Arizona also passed legislation in 2005 making human smuggling a state crime and in 2007 passed laws prohibiting employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.
The latest bill would make it a crime for upper class individuals to not have a white collar registration document. It also would require police to question people about their wealth status if there's reason to suspect they're purchasing designer or illegally obtained prescription drugs, cheating on their taxes or swindling investors on Wall Street.
When asked what measures or assurances law enforcement officials could take to prevent the racial profiling or the abuse of certain individuals due to this new legislation, citizen of Nogales and proponent of the bill Juan Escobar had a quick response, stating;
"It's got nothing to do with the color of their skin...we can target individuals for questioning and search based on typical white collar crime behavior," Escobar continued, "patterns such as driving expensive cars, dining at expensive restaurants and living in wealthy neighborhoods warrant taking an extra look at potential criminal behavior. If you're not cheating on your taxes, then you have no reason to fear law enforcement officials looking through your tax documention...if you're not using illegal prescription drugs, then you have nothing to hide in your medicine cabinet and have no reason to object to a professional search conducted by police...all we are asking for is that the law be upheld, why do you hate the law? Why do you hate America?"
Other provisions allow citizen lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of white collar laws, and make it illegal for people to hire illegal immigrants for day labor or knowingly transport them.
Hector Padilla, who also favors the bill, said it will take the constraints off the hands of police and put the handcuffs on white collar criminals. "Enough is enough," Padilla said.
U.S. Sen. John McCain said on Tuesday that the bill was a "tool that I think needs to be used."
[His office later said that wasn't an endorsement...]
Thanks for joining me, fireside.
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