Saturday, May 08, 2010

Pennsylvania legislators hope to mirror Arizona's immigration bill

Pennsylvania legislators hope to mirror Arizona's immigration bill

HARRISBURG -- State Reps. Daryl Metcalfe and Harry Readshaw think Pennsylvania
should follow Arizona's lead and "protect its borders and citizens" by giving
local and state police more power to arrest, detain and eventually deport foreigners
who have entered the state illegally and don't have proper registration papers.

Mr. Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, Mr. Readshaw, D-Carrick, and several other legislators
Tuesday promoted House Bill 2479, which would direct a police officer
"to attempt to verify the immigration status of suspected illegal aliens."

However, an officer could not stop a suspected illegal immigrant without reason
-- as critics of the new Arizona law have claimed, Mr.
Metcalfe said. An officer would have to have a reason for checking
a suspected illegal alien's papers, such as if the alien was driving
too fast, ran a red light or was arrested for a break-in.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10125/1055562-454.stm#ixzz0nOcMiHyG
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau