June 25, 8:11 PM click here to comment > 8
Supreme Court ruling on immigration underscores need for comprehensive reform
Good news and bad news today from the Supreme Court. Their ruling on the Arizona SB1070 immigration law upheld the most controversial and troubling provision in the immigration law – the “show me your papers” provision. This provision gives police the right to demand papers providing citizenship or immigration status of anyone they suspect is in the country illegally. In Seattle our internal police policies prohibit inquiries about immigration status, but for immigrants and refugees all over the nation, this is a serious issue. This policy, upheld by the Supreme Court, discourages people without legal immigration status from contacting police. This issue comes up frequently in domestic violence cases, for example.
The court did strike down several other troubling provisions in the law, such as one that would require all immigrants to carry immigration registration papers, allow police to arrest anyone they suspected of being an undocumented immigrant without a warrant, and make it a criminal offense for undocumented migrants to look for or hold a job.
Like President Obama, I am pleased that the Court struck down these provisions, but this decision only underscores our nation’s need for comprehensive immigration reform, rather than a patchwork of conflicting state laws. I will continue to work with our community to call on Congress to act on immigration reform, and I hope that you’ll join me in doing so.
Posted by: Mayor Mike McGinn
Comments
Comment from Mike
Time June 27, 2012 at 11:56 am
So the illegals are fighting to be above federal law and winning?
Comment from Pamela Buxton
Time June 27, 2012 at 12:04 pm
Illegal is Illegal. It should not be sugarcoated with pc terms. Illegal=a crime. Seattle should not coddle illegal aliens. People who have ‘papers’ should be carrying them, it’s printed right on the papers.
Comment from Vicki
Time June 27, 2012 at 1:52 pm
To register to vote, you must be:
• A citizen of the United States;
• A legal resident of Washington State;
• At least 18 years old by Election Day;
• Not under the authority of the Department of Corrections; and
• Not disqualified from voting due to a court order.
Source: https://wei.sos.wa.gov/agency/osos/en/voters/Pages/voter_eligibility.aspx
Citizenship
You must be a citizen of the United States. If you have questions about citizenship, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Comment from G. Roraback
Time June 27, 2012 at 3:14 pm
I agree 100 % With Jay Demme,Seattle’s
mayor should be removed as he has removed so many traffic lanes on arterials
so more bicycles can clog traffic and create a 30% more smog affect in our air
in Seattle by cars and trucks idiling and moving at a snails pace around our used to be wonderful city!!!
Comment from Jesus Y. Rodriguez
Time June 27, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Thank you Mayor for your support on this critical issue! Hopefully one day our compassionate national leaders will pass fair and equitable immigration legislation. As for the comments of an ongoing invasion of illegal aliens—-ask the Native Americans when all this really began and by whom!
Comment from Allan
Time June 27, 2012 at 9:43 pm
I am really mad that our tax dollars are subsidizing housing and other benefits for immigrants who are not sponsored by US citizens. Illegals should be deported, we cannot afford to keep them. And gee, why I am I seeing Somalis getting jobs when US vets are unemployed and can’t find work. This is rediculous.
Comment from Jon Sutter
Time June 28, 2012 at 7:41 am
Dear Mayor,
Please remember you are only the mayor. Illegal immigration is a blight on our country and is sapping the precious tax revenues we need to just get the basics. Education, roads and police.
Concentrate on those. Fund those and any other problem that keeps you from doing a good job on those three, stay away from or eliminate the need for the tax dollars.
Thank you.
Jon Sutter
Comment from Jay Demme
Time June 27, 2012 at 10:37 am
The Federal government’s refusal to protect American soverignty from the ongoing invasion of illegal aliens, and Seattle’s sactuary city stance are illegal and any elected official supporting this extra-constitutional policy should be removed from office for violation of oath of office. Having said this, I realize democrats want all the illegals they can get because it translates into votes. sickening really.