The kids were reprimanded by the Vice Principal for wearing patriotic garb on Cinco de Mayo, a minor holiday hardly celebrated in Mexico.
"The district does not concur with the Live Oak High School administration's interpretation of either board or district policy related to these actions," said Dr. Jay Totter of the district stated.
The brouhaha began after Arizona passed a recent immigration bill. Despite the controversy that erupted, Section II of the new law, partially authored by Kris Kobach, constitutional law professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, stated that a law enforcement officer “may not consider race, color, or national origin” in making any stops or determining any aliens’ immigration status. The Arizona bill mirrors existing federal statute. Every non-citizen in the United States has been required to carry citizen documentation since Congress passed the Alien Registration Act in 1940.
Immigration policy can be restrictive, some require people to:
Have the means to sustain themselves economically;
Not be burdens on society;
Be of economic and social benefit to society;
Be of good character and have no criminal records; and
Contribute to the general well being of the nation.
Authorities have a record of each foreign visitor;
Foreign visitors do not violate their visa status;
Foreign visitors are banned from interfering in the country’s internal politics;
Foreign visitors who enter under false pretenses are imprisoned or deported;
Foreign visitors violating the terms of their entry are imprisoned or deported;
Those who aid in illegal immigration will be sent to prison.
Welcomes only foreigners who will be useful to society:
Foreigners are admitted into the country “according to their possibilities of contributing to national progress.” (Article 32)
Immigration officials must ‘ensure’ that ‘immigrants will be useful elements for the country and that they have the necessary funds for their sustenance’ and for their dependents. (Article 34)
Foreigners may be barred from the country if their presence upsets ‘the equilibrium of the national demographics,’ when foreigners are deemed detrimental to ‘economic or national interests,’ when they do not behave like good citizens in their own country, when they have broken [national] laws, and when ‘they are not found to be physically or mentally healthy.’ (Article 37)
The Secretary of Governance may ‘suspend or prohibit the admission of foreigners when he determines it to be in the national interest.’ (Article 38)
Authorities must keep track of every single person in the country:
Federal, local and municipal police must cooperate with federal immigration authorities upon request, i.e., to assist in the arrests of illegal immigrants. (Article 73)
A National Population Registry keeps track of ‘every single individual who comprises the population of the country,’ and verifies each individual’s identity. (Articles 85 and 86)
A national Catalog of Foreigners tracks foreign tourists and immigrants (Article 87), and assigns each individual with a unique tracking number (Article 91).
Foreigners with fake papers, or who enter the country under false pretenses, may be imprisoned:
Foreigners with fake immigration papers may be fined or imprisoned. (Article 116)
Foreigners who sign government documents ‘with a signature that is false or different from that which he normally uses’ are subject to fine and imprisonment. (Article 116)
Foreigners who fail to obey the rules will be fined, deported, and/or imprisoned as felons:
Foreigners who fail to obey a deportation order are to be punished. (Article 117)
Foreigners who are deported from the country and attempt to re-enter the country without authorization can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. (Article 118)
Foreigners who violate the terms of their visa may be sentenced to up to six years in prison (Articles 119, 120 and 121). Foreigners who misrepresent the terms of their visa while in the country – such as working with out a permit – can also be imprisoned.
Under the law, illegal immigration is a felony. The General Law on Population says,
A penalty of up to two years in prison and a fine of three hundred to five thousand pesos will be imposed on the foreigner who enters the country illegally. (Article 123)
Foreigners with legal immigration problems may be deported from the country instead of being imprisoned. (Article 125)
Foreigners who ‘attempt against national sovereignty or security’ will be deported. (Article 126)
Those who help illegal aliens enter the country are themselves considered criminals under the law.
A person who marries a foreigner with the sole objective of helping the foreigner live in the country is subject to up to five years in prison. (Article 127)
Shipping and airline companies that bring undocumented foreigners into the country will be fined. (Article 132)”
These are the provisions not from the Arizona law but are current Mexican law.
Excerpts courtesy of J. Michael Waller, V.P. Information Operations at the Center for Security Policy.
Posts
