As conservatives push forward with a plan to bring an Arizona-style immigration law to Florida, Miami Rep. Luis Garcia has donned a form of protest in the state Capitol: His passport.
Garcia said the proposal, which would require police in some circumstance to check a suspect's immigration status, is tentamount to ethnic or racial profiling that eventually will make Hispanics, Haitians and other immigrants feel unwelcome and subject to search. So he's walking around with his papers on display.
Supporters of the bill point to explicit language banning racial profiling, but Garcia and many others say it's not enough.
"With my accent, police will definitely ask if I'm a citizen," he said. Earlier in the House Democrats caucus meeting, he joked that he'll be questioned if he simply travels to the North Florida district of Leonard Bembry, D-Madison.
Doesn't he have a driver's license that he would provide if he was driving illegally and needed to be pulled over?
Posted by: Que | January 11, 2011 at 02:05 PM
GREAT FOR YOU REP. GARCIA. AGAIN YOU ARE THERE IN THE FOREFRONT FIGHTING FOR CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS. THANKS AND KEEP UP YOUR GOOD WORK
Posted by: DR. BARRY RAGONE | January 11, 2011 at 03:04 PM
I like it. Since a drivers license could be fake simply showing that would not be enough in Arizona where proof of papers is required. This means you may are required to carry papers proving you have registered with INS. The DMV would not be considered one of them. If you have your license but not proof that you came through INS legally (i.e. passport ) you would subject to search, seizure, and detainer.
Posted by: Jennifer | January 11, 2011 at 03:22 PM
aren't legal immigrants already supposed to carry ID anyway?
Posted by: greengoblin011 | January 11, 2011 at 04:35 PM
Any elected/appointed official who does not actively and aggressively uphold and ensure our laws are enforced should be removed from office, charged with dereliction of duty, and prosecuted for aiding and abetting illegal aliens.
Mr. Garcia has a sworn oath to uphold and also a fiscal responsibility to his constituents. The violation of our immigration laws aside, illegal aliens cost Floridians billions of dollars a year (educate, medicate, incarcerate them). There is no price that can be placed upon the lives of the thousands of Americans who have died at the hands of illegal aliens, and any and every elected/appointed official who allows them to roam the state has the blood of every American killed by an illegal alien on their hands.
Mr. Garcia should be reminded that he is paid by our tax dollars to represent Americans, including Latinos who are here legally, and not to aid and abet illegal aliens in the hope that they will ensure his re-election(s).
Posted by: Kathleen | January 12, 2011 at 12:06 AM
What the special interests or the open border zealots keep secret about illegal immigration
Now is the time in joining the Tea Party movement near you and reclaim your rights and halt once and for all illegal immigration. Phone 202-224-3121 which is the switchboard number for Washington, so that you can also contact your Congressional representative In addition contact your State representative in your State. Read the undisclosed reports about the unbelievable cost in Los Angeles County, California, attributing to illegal immigration. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/05/local/la-me-illegal-welfare-20100906
In Stockton, California, the Silverio family abused the welfare system fraudulently and was featured in the Wall Street Journal in 2003and the stomach churning financial free ride after entering America illegally. http://www.jpands.org/vol10no1/cosman.pdf
Learn all there is to know about your share of illegal immigrant tax, cost, corruption, real numbers illegally settled here and the damage of overpopulation at www.numbersusa.com and www.judicialwatch.org. We need highly skilled workers for our nation, not the penniless or uneducated of foreign governments to support.
Posted by: Brittanicus | January 12, 2011 at 05:56 PM