Florida Considering Arizona-Type Immigration Bill

From News Press.com and FAIR:

Florida could copy Ariz. law in '11 session


Bill being drafted for House, Senate

Bill Cotterell • news-press.com capital bureau • July 12, 2010



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2Previous Page10:46 A.M. — TALLAHASSEE — Should Florida copy Arizona's immigration law?





Allowing police to check the immigration status of suspects they believe might be in the country illegally will be a hot topic in the 2011 legislature.





"We're all so worried about homeland security and the economic situation, and now we get this perception that aliens are costing us money," said Tampa attorney Bill Flynn, who has practiced immigration law for 30 years.





He opposes a state statute but thinks it's "probably irresistible" in the current political climate.





State Rep. William Snyder, R-Stuart, and Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, are drafting a bill permitting police to check immigration status of people they arrest or detain — if there is a nonracial reason to think they might be in the country illegally.





Both men emphasize that their proposal is not aimed at all foreigners.





"We're not prompting the officer to look for some sign of 'being here illegally,' whatever that might be," said Snyder, who was a police officer for 32 years. "It would be like, if I stopped your car for speeding and saw what I reasonably thought to be a kilo of cocaine in the back seat. I would have a reasonable cause to check it out and, if everything was OK, you'd be free to go."











In announcing last week that he was having a companion bill drafted in the Senate, Bennett said it would benefit those who obey the law.





"It's about honoring all those immigrants from all the years past, who were committed to becoming American citizens under the laws of this country," he said.





Campaign issue





The issue is already a hot topic in Florida's political campaigns.





Republican Rick Scott, running for governor, has promised to "bring that law to Florida" and accuses Attorney General Bill McCollum of waffling.





McCollum criticized the initial Arizona law but supports the amended version, with provisions against racial profiling. Last week, he predicted President Obama will lose his federal court challenge to the Arizona law.