Arizonas policy on illegal immigration

By Kim Yoo-eun

Irked by the ongoing recession and the resulting decline of living standards, many Americans citizens are dishing the blame on a political scapegoat: The estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. The southern state of Arizona has taken direct and drastic measures to curb the amount of illegal immigration.

On April 23, the state of Arizona passed the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act (introduced as Arizona Senate Bill 1070), one of the strictest anti- immigration laws in history. The bill requires legal aliens to register with the U.S.

government and to carry registration documents at all times.

This solution has garnered widespread criticism. U.S. President Obama publicly criticized the law as “misguided”. The legislation is scheduled to go into effect on July 29th. Many of the law’s detractors claim that the law encourages racial profiling, while supporters say the law simply enforces existing federal law.

Yet despite the public backlash, the support generated by Arizona’s legislation has prompted neighboring Border States to undergo the process to adopt a similar proposal.

The affinity is not limited to the residents of southern states, as the national Rasmussen Reports poll recently indicated that 60 percent of Americans were in favor of a legislation that would allow law enforcement officers to “stop and verify the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant.” While this law is aimed mainly toward illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America, it remains to be seen how the law will affect other non-Hispanic aliens.

Should the law go into effect, law enforcement officers have the right to question any person’s residential status, no matter the race. As Alessandra Meetze, the executive director of American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, said to CBS, “If you look or sound foreign, you are going to be subjected to never-ending requests from police to confirm your identity and to confirm your citizenship.” Yet even critics of the law must agree that something must be done to deal with the presence of illegal immigrants residing in the United States. As legal immigrants, we believe that comprehensive immigration reform is the most effective option.

Besides the logistical improbability of deporting nearly 11 million people to their respective countries, it would also be economically disadvantageous to discriminate against such a crucial piece of the American economy.

We can further speculate upon the future of American immigration, but we can also use this chance to critique our own nation’s policies toward the legalization of undocumented workers. America’s aversion to Hispanic immigrants provides a close parallel to South Korea’s own bigotry toward non-white foreigners.

Most immigrants in South Korea, especially migrant workers, are ineligible for citizenship or even permanent residency.

Exceptions are made for those who have made considerable financial investment in the Korean market, those whose contributions have been specifically recognized by the justice minister, or those who are married to a legal South Korean citizen.

In this aspect, our nation’s policy lags behind that of America. Korea should learn from the current situation in Arizona and feel empathy toward people who wish to better their own economic and political circumstances.

Korea is no longer the hermit kingdom that it used to be. If the Korean government wishes to own up to its promise “to create a multicultural society and foreigner-friendly living environment,” then it must enable foreigners to live alongside Koreans and to share their idea and culture in order to better the nation.

The circumstances of our birth - including our race and our heritage - are not for us to decide. But every single human being should be allowed to improve his or her circumstance through hard work and perseverance.

America, Korea and every other country must recognize these rights in order to spread tolerance, peace and respect among the diverse group of people around the world.

The writer is a student at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Wash. She can be reached at kcyooeun@gmail.com.