I think this question is a no-brainer in this day and age. Don't officers (during a traffic stop for instance) have the right to ask you anything they might have suspicions about? If a officer smells (or thinks they smell) alcohol they can search my car, so, if an officer has suspicions about my citizenship shouldnt they be able to ask for proof? Why are people even arguing about this?
2007-07-11 05:48:18 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
If you have a valid driver's license, they should be able to assume the DMV already verified your citizenship. I know non-citizens get licenses, but I said they SHOULD be able to assume that. If you can't produce a government issued ID, they should be expected to question your status.
2007-07-11 06:06:05 · answer #1 · answered by STEVEN F 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have met the no-brainer and he is you. The police officer who searches you becasue he claims to smell alcohol or pot doesn't have to prove it so he can lie whenever he needs to run a "fishing expedition" to make his end-of-month-numbers. Similarly, police won't check everybody's citizenship, but they would use it as a pretext to harass anyone who looks or sounds "foreign", especially darker-skinned folks.
Besides, lots of police departments around the country are resisting being made an arm of ICE, because to do real polcie work, they need the trust and cooperation of immigrant communities, and they lose that when they become citizenship enforcers.
Al M above doesn't seem to realize that the terrorists have already won if we end up living in a police state where we lose all our rights and the gov't can do whatever it wants. Benjamin Franklin said thsoe who would trade in their freedom for securtiy deserve neither.
2007-07-11 07:10:32 · answer #2 · answered by shortfuse 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The main reason is that it is not possible to have a reasonable suspicion about citizenship. There are citizens who do not speak English, for example. And there are non-citizens who speak perfect English.
What is it that can make you suspicious about such a thing? And how do you "prove" you are a citizen if you leave your wallet at home.
The real solution is to dry up all the jobs aliens get, and put citizens in jail for knowingly (or negligently) hiring aliens.
Another factor is we do not have the resources to deport 15 million people who are just going to come back in. And we do not have enough jails to put aliens away for not paying income tax, etc, etc... Or even jail them until they can be deported...
If you dry up the jobs, then you do not need a bunch of Gestapo running around demanding to see your papers. You hire an alien babysitter, and then go to jail for one year? Won't be any babysitters available after the first few sentences of a young mother going to jail.
Ron.
2007-07-11 06:06:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In that case, this country is going to have to issue some sort of "Citizenship Card" to those of us with Social Security Cards or some other form of ID that we can ALL show as proof when we are stopped by the police, just like they have in Europe. Or, we should all be required to carry a passport everywhere as ID and if we don't have our passport, then we should be fined. This includes ALL citizens of the US.
2007-07-11 05:59:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What would be considered "Questions about your citizenship". Clearly the only issues would be appearances, or language. Since we have no official language in this country neither criteria are objective enough to be an unbiased reason for a demand to produce documentation.
Also, there is no national law requiring people to carry proof of citizenship, so this is a pointless argument until such a law is passed. Hopefully that will never come to pass because a) it's completely unconstitutional and b) it would lead to a lot of pointless police work when people lose thier documentation.
Oh I forgot to mention that we don't live in a facist country so that will never happen.
2007-07-11 05:53:43 · answer #5 · answered by TheEconomist 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Because your citizenship, as opposed to (for example) your alcohol consumption, has nothing to do with driving a vehicle safely.
A policeman who makes a traffic stop should not be allowed to ask you to prove citizenship because you either have a valid license or you don't.
He should be limited to asking for verfication of the right to drive, insurance on you/ or the vehicle and registration/ownership of the vehicle. He should be allowed to examine the vehicle for safety equipment to be sure your lights, brakes, etc. work properly. Beyond that is an invasion of privacy.
2007-07-11 06:16:34 · answer #6 · answered by certifiedtarotmaster 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I personally don't have a problem with it but there are many that will. When they stop me they ask to see my drivers license for proof that I can legally drive - so why not if I am legally in the country. But they would need to ask it of everybody because they aren't allowed to profile.
Most places wouldn't though because the police do not want illegal citizens to be afraid of them. If they have a fear of LE they won't report crimes or cooperate with police.
2007-07-11 05:54:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
A cop can pretty much do whatever they want.
Even if you were to complain to a judge or to internal affairs, they would just deny it (and have a good laugh).
They don't have to have 'reasonable cause' to search your vehicle. They can always smash one of your tail lights or claim you were 'driving erratically' or speeding.
Cops everywhere seem to agree that it is a crime to be seen 'Driving While Black' (or Latino). Officers routinely pull individuals over for 'DWB' or 'DWL' and search their cars without any reason whatsoever. When a cop pulls someone over, they will always demand ID from them - regardless of race, but for Latinos, especially those in border states, are always going to be asked to show a green card.
Some cops will demand ID from other people in the car. And if you refuse to show ID, they can, and will put you in cuffs and take you to jail - along with anyone else who thinks they can tell the cop to f**k himself, and decides to give him crap.
It's a sad reality.
2007-07-11 06:03:45 · answer #8 · answered by Joe M 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
hi, first of all what grow to be the argument approximately and in no way tell everyone which you're a police officer. some people take that to their benefit. be sure does this situation have a reason and no person ought to call your place to disrespect you. If he grow to be a real police officer he might have talked to you with admire and civil. In different words. hi my call is in spite of I paintings for the regulation enforcement do we please arranged a gathering the place we can communicate on the subject of the situation that niece,daughter in spite of had in school with the crucial, so there'll in no way be any fake effect. it particularly is how he ought to had got here to you. next time he call in basic terms tell him you prefer a gathering with him and the crucial and if he says no, then tell him that next time he call you which you will press expenses for harassment and hung up.
2016-12-10 08:58:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems like a good idea on the surface,but do you want to give away a little of your civil rights everytime there is a hot button issue like immigration?If the immigration issue ever gets solved do you think they will say "okay you can have this little bit of your rights back"? It is a very slippery slope.Once you give up a right then it is gone forever,remember our rights as citizens were given to protect us from the government.
And what would you use as criteria for "suspecting" someone of being illegal?Hey I am totally against the illegal immigration thing,but that would just be one more thing that I was having to give up because of them.No thanks amigo.
2007-07-11 06:01:04 · answer #10 · answered by Charly B 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋