The Arizona legislature passed several changes to its immigration bill late Thursday, in order to address complaints that it institutionalizes racial profiling.
One amendment makes it clear that police may only stop or detain someone for violating a different law — no one can be stopped on the sole suspicion that they’re in the country illegally.
Another change stipulates that “a law enforcement official or agency cannot consider race, color or national origin when implementing” the law. (You can see the changes on the Arizona legislature web site, here.)
From local station ABC15:
The law’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Russell Pearce, characterized the race and ethnicity changes as clarifications “just to take away the silly arguments and the games, the dishonesty that’s been played.”
Law enforcement officers are still required to ask for proof of immigration status from those they suspect may be in the country illegally. But the legislature changed the wording slightly — instead of having to ask for the papers during any “legal contact,” officers are only required to ask for them during a “legal stop, detention or arrest.” That means, for example, that police officers do not have to demand papers from witnesses or victims of crimes.
Gov. Jan Brewer (R) is likely to sign the changes, said a spokesman.
The bill, and any approved changes, will go into effect July 29.
