<p>During S's junior and senior year we had a lot of mail from some of the Arizona universities. They can be very generous to NH scholars, but we decided that we would keep the college search limited to the midwest and East Coast to limit travel costs during college. I must say that should the new Arizona law stand I would have another and much stronger reason to discourage my next kid from considering going to university in Arizona. </p>
<p>My S is a native born US citizen but the rest of us are foreign born and naturalized citizens. The children and my husband have spanish last names and my husband has a heavy accent. I immigrated here from Europe as a child, became a US citizen in my 30s, but fit the WASP stereotype to a t. Although my path to US citizenship is identical to my husband's, I would be very unlikely to be profiled as an illegal alien. Husband, on the other hand, would visit Arizona unsure of whether he would need to carry proof of citizenship with him at all times. Would my foreign born, US citizen child have to worry about carrying proof of citizenship if she were a student there? According to the law, even university police and security would have to enforce the law or risk being sued. </p>
<p>Would D's last name complicate her life in Arizona? I would be interested to know if others on this forum, students and parents of hispanic students, are concerned about this new law in Arizona and if it will affect their college choices.</p>
<p>No, simply looking ‘Mexican’ or ‘Hispanic’ is not enough for the police to question your husband’s status. How likely is it that he would be driving recklessly or would be suspected of drug trafficing? Very little I assume. There’s nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>I believe even getting a speeding ticket could warrant a check of citizenship status. Do you walk around with your passport and naturalization papers? I certainly don’t and I never carried my green card with me except when traveling abroad. Now, I assume that if you look hispanic or have an accent you will need to carry proof of residency or citizenship.</p>
<p>I cannot imagine your husband would be driving without a liscence. He has nothing to worry about.
Please do not take this offensively, but I suggest you read <a href=“http://www.azpost.state.az.us/bulletins/eo201009.pdf[/url]”>http://www.azpost.state.az.us/bulletins/eo201009.pdf</a>.
As you will see it specifically states that someone may not be pulled over due to ‘race,color or national origin’. It also states that the Police will recieve training on provisions of civil rights and what is reasonable suspicion to question someone.</p>
<p>I used to stick up for my state, but I don’t see much of a point after this new law, and now the one limiting ethnic studies. Ugh.</p>
<p>Anyway, I’ve lived in Arizona for close to 10 years. I’m half-German, half-South American. My last name is German, everyone else in my family has blue eyes (I have brown), we all have brown hair, and our skin colors range. (I’m pale-pale-pale, most of my family looks like they just spent a week working outside.) Every time I cross the border, I’m immediately pulled over and asked for my green card. (I was born on the East Coast.) Border patrol only speaks to me in Spanish. (My only knowledge of Spanish comes from 2 years of high school classes.) I suppose you can reason that they do this because not all Mexicans look the same, and most people crossing the border are Mexican, but I find it extremely racist. If this was before the new law, I’m curious to see the effects after. I’ll probably be pulled over every other day – and I don’t look Mexican at all.</p>
<p>At least at UA, our campus police is trying to resist the ban. President Shelton has been very public about how much he dislikes this law, and I’d be shocked if any action was taken by the campus to enforce it. For the most part, it would just be the police off-campus to worry about. As for me, I refuse to carry my birth certificate or passport. If someone pulls me over for looking “non-American,” I plan to sue.</p>
<p>Finearts- I hope my sons steer clear of Arizona. Who needs the hazzle? We already know that even when illegal, racial and ethinic profiling is alive and well in America. The college years are formative and I would rather see my sons getting the most out of these years and not spend them defending Latinos. Given that this law was enacted as an anti-drug law, the connection has been made between Latinos and unlawful acts. The postings on multiple sites on the web in defense of this law gives me chills. It has unleashed a current of resentment and misunderstading of Latinos. Why place our kids in that environment if we have options? Why send them to where they are not welcome or wanted? Unless they are the perfect citizens (and even if they were) their actions would be closely scrutinized. In my view, it is just not worth it. I rather spend tuition $ somewhere else. So far, my sons agree as well.</p>