20 Apr 2010 Bill to Make Illegal Activity Illegal Reminds Roman Catholic Cardinal of Nazis and Communists

Los Angeles Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony says the premise underlying an Arizona immigration bill is not only “false,” but also “nonsense,” thus distinguishing it from other bills with premises that are true but nonsense, and other legislation that is false but sensible.

An article reporting on the Cardinal’s sentiments, in the Los Angeles Times by Teresa Watanabe, says “the Arizona legislation, which has yet to be signed by Gov. Jan Brewer, would make it a crime to be in the state illegally…”

Up to now, evidently, it has been legal to be in the state illegally.

Mohony is upset over legislation that, according to Watanabe, would:

…make it a crime to be in the state illegally and require law enforcement officers to check the legal status of those they suspect are undocumented. The legislation would also bar people from soliciting work or hiring workers under certain circumstances, a provision aimed at the day-labor trade.

Mohony implies this law is comparable to children being required to call 911 to report the immigration status of illegal-alien parents, and says “I can’t imagine Arizonans now reverting to German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques whereby people are required to turn one another in to the authorities on any suspicion of documentation.”

The Los Angeles Times says the proposed law “would not require people to report suspected illegal immigrants to authorities, as Mahony intimated.”