Arizona’s legislature and governor passed a new law that allows police to stop anyone suspected of or who “looks like” they’re an illegal immigrant…whatever that means. In addition, it’s now a crime to be an illegal immigrant in Arizona.

Lots of bloggers and media people have made so much noise about this, they could probably blow apart the arch pictured here. (I suspect this is the very arch under which all the illegals are entering Arizona…but don’t tell anyone!)

I posted the other day, suggesting that the political climate in Arizona and their experience with criminals entering Arizona illegally may have a lot to do with this new law.

But then, I remembered they have a neighboring state, New Mexico, that doesn’t seem to have gotten into the fray at all. Neither has Texas. What’s the difference?

I can’t imagine that the border security, provided by the Border Patrol, is much different from state to state. Is Arizona flooded with an unusually high percentage of illegals compared to its neighbors?

There is one difference that pops out to me.

Arizona has an Hispanic population of 30%. Texas has a population of 36% and New Mexico has a population of 45%.

Is Arizona just exercising a form of racism? Considering the high population of Hispanics in both Texas and New Mexico, could the legislature/governor get a tough law like Arizona’s passed?

If the law in Arizona remains on the books, I anticipate lots of law suits and court challenges for people arrested under the provisions of the new law. It’ll be interesting what the Arizona Supreme Court says or, if the cases get appealed to federal court, what the feds say.

What are your thoughts?