In the ever increasing fight to whip up racism and anti-immigrant fervor among constituents, Republican state representatives Matt Lynch and Courtney Combs have co-sponsored a bill that would cause serious harm for the state of Ohio. In states like Alabama and Arizona, similar immigration laws have caused legal residents to flee in fear of persecution due to their skin color or accent. This has resulted in crops left unharvested and many business owners left without employees. But the biggest and least likely opponents to immigration laws like this have been the police forces that are required to enforce the laws.
Forced Racism
On the one hand, there are probably plenty of officers in Cincinnati, OH who think that this immigration law will help them to deal with the problems of illegal immigration in their city. On the other hand, the law will require officers to obtain immigration paperwork from anyone stopped for any reason, if the officer has any suspicions that the individual is not a legal resident.
For many officers, there may be no other suspicious indicator other than color of skin or accent, and that would mean officers will be charged left and right with racism accusations. Defending the choice to ask one person over another will be incredibly hard for police officers, making the law more hassle than it is worth.
Growing Expenses
Additionally, the cost to police forces and Sheriffs offices is going to skyrocket if they must detain everyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant. In Alabama, local jails were quickly filled with people who didn’t carry their birth certificate or other paperwork, just waiting for a friend or family member to bring the appropriate information. Of course, not everyone has their birth certificate or can prove citizenship if they are stopped on the street. The problem for law enforcement has become huge and awkward, and if you talk to Sheriffs in Cincinnati, OH, they are also very wary of the new immigration bill introduced by the Republicans.
No matter what you feel about immigration problems and illegal immigrants, this new immigration law is not going to help anyone. Introducing legislation that is unconstitutional and requires law enforcement to spend more money that they don’t have and waste their own and citizens’ time on determining legal immigration status is a waste of taxpayer money and puts issues on the table without offering a realistic or acceptable solution. House Bill 580 has no chance of being deemed constitutional, and yet our representatives are wasting time arguing the merits of the bill.
For help with immigration law issues in Cincinnati, OH, contact Bell Law Offices. At Bell Law Offices, the legal professionals are experienced in all aspects of immigration and naturalization law.
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