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Imagine this scenario: A pregnant young woman of your acquaintance, say a co-worker or neighbor, goes into premature labor and needs medical attention. You give her a ride to the emergency room, and you learn en route that she has been avoiding doctors because her immigration papers are not in order. Do you continue to drive her to the hospital? In the state of Oklahoma, you may have just opened yourself up for a felony prosecution.
Oklahoma's Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2007 makes it a crime to knowingly transport undocumented aliens, as well as to hire them or provide them with certain social services. The law was enacted in May, and survived a court challenge last month from the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders.
Not surpisingly, Oklahomans are sharply divided over the new law, as this local newscast shows (hat tip to Hot Air):
Monica Crowley says that this is one of dozens of new state laws being passed because of the Bush administration's failure to pass immigration reform:
The states are enforcing the federal laws the feds won't enforce. Here's why: state and local governments are a lot closer to the people than is the federal government. State and local politicians see and hear from the people more directly and more often, and the people are fed up. Those lower levels of government are a lot more responsive to what the people want. Which is---incredibly!---the rule of law.
Episcopal Cafe picks up report that attendance at heavily Hispanic churches has dwindled. Marie says that's a good thing:
Well, this is one tough law I will admit. Illegals are fleeing! Never knew we had that many, and it took us practically twisting Governor Henry's arm to get it done, but it's on now. Akmmed wont be slipping through Oklahoma with a Thermo-Nuclear Bomb in a Briefcase. This is NOT about Mexican people, this is about ALL people Illegally in Oklahoma. Git 'er done!
But activist speaking on the syndicated news show, Democracy Now, say these and other anti-immigration efforts are stirring up racial antagonisms and leading to government actions against American citizens. Here's an excerpt of a conversation between activist Deepak Bhargava and the show's host, Amy Goodman:
DEEPAK BHARGAVA: Oklahoma, a law went into effect yesterday that would make it a crime, with up to a year in prison, to transport an undocumented immigrant, even if you're saving them from a fire, from a flood, taking them to the emergency room. So we’re seeing a level of criminalization that’s not just going to chill immigrant communities.
AMY GOODMAN: So you see a person who is in a car accident --
DEEPAK BHARGAVA: Correct.
AMY GOODMAN: -- and you want to race them to the hospital --
DEEPAK BHARGAVA: Yes, and it would be a crime --
AMY GOODMAN: -- you’re supposed to ask them for their papers.
DEEPAK BHARGAVA: You’re supposed to ask them for their papers, and if they’re undocumented, you’re supposed to leave them at the side of the road.
AMY GOODMAN: And this has gone into effect in Oklahoma.
DEEPAK BHARGAVA: It is the law of the land in Oklahoma. I’m sure there will be constitutional challenges to it. But we are seeing a kind of race to the bottom now, with states and localities competing to see how badly they can treat immigrants and immigrant supporters. And I think it’s a campaign, really, to chill participation in these communities, and also it’s a campaign to chill support for these communities from other progressive allies.
What do you think? Is the Oklahoma law a legitimate effort to protect our borders, or part of a "race to the bottom?"
