ACLU of Kentucky

Here are a few recent examples of clear, persuasive letters to the editor.

Please do not let Kentucky follow in Arizona's terribly shortsighted steps. Senate Bill 6, which has already been prefiled for consideration, is a dangerous proposal. If passed, SB 6 will inspire more divisions, hostility, fear, misunderstanding and confusion at a time when cooperation, goodwill, trust, understanding and clarity are urgently needed in this state and country.

By allowing law enforcement officials to stop anyone and ask for their papers, SB 6 sends the message that people can and should be judged by how we look. This bill encourages prejudice. SB 6 is also unconstitutional because it violates a basic principle on which our country was founded: that we are all innocent unless proven guilty. Instead SB 6 would make some of us guilty (read: undocumented) until proven innocent (by virtue of being a citizen, or otherwise holding documents that prove we are permitted to reside here).

SB 6 fuels racism by labeling some of us as potentially undesirable for this country. Like racism, SB 6 will render some of us dispensable in a country that so many of us, born here or not, call home. Racism has already done way too much damage to the United States of America and its people, not only those who are native-born in this land, but also those who are descendants of immigrants and those of us born elsewhere. Make no mistake, regardless of my or your skin color, national origin or heritage, racism hurts us all.

MARI MUJICA
President, Diversity Consultants, LLC
Louisville 40205
Source

Senate Bill 6 imposes one more nightmarish and potentially very litigious administrative burden on our law-enforcement personnel who may already have agreements or provisions for agreements with the federal agencies responsible for immigration enforcement.

The PoliceFoundation.org report on immigration enforcement has clearly stated the dilemma this type of legislation creates for law enforcement because it detracts from much more serious priorities and undermines the public confidence in the law enforcement role. SB 6 requires law enforcement to confiscate the vehicle of any person providing transportation assistance to an “unauthorized alien.” While I understand and concur with the need for severe penalties for human trafficking and smuggling, this language subjects workers of any business or agency, public or private, providing transportation assistance to a misdemeanor charge and loss of vehicle. Any place for confiscated school buses, horse trailers, taxis?

The costs of this type of legislation are not known, but recent studies on the impact of the SB1070 legislation in Arizona show that increased detention of “unauthorized aliens” in fact likely increases state costs due to lost business revenues, lost consumer spending and additional tax dollars to support correction facilities ― already over $500 million per year.

SB 6 is incendiary and punitive and will only highlight Kentucky as one of those states for businesses and consumers to avoid. It does nothing to address any of the major causes of death or injury reported in our own state Cabinet for Health or State Police annual reports. SB 6 only projects the language of a hostile political agenda. It makes me wonder where the term “alien” should really be applied.

THOMAS GURUCHARRI
Hispanic Pastoral Center
Louisville 40218
Source

On Jan. 7, Senate Republicans railroaded through an Arizona-style anti-immigrant bill without bothering to find out just how many millions it would add to Kentucky's already stretched budget.

In just the six months since the law was passed, the state of Arizona has spent more than $1 million defending the law ― so far unsuccessfully ― in court. It's estimated Arizona will lose another $90 million over the next five years due to the boycott of the state. The bill is projected to cost more than $22 million to add police officers and correction officers and millions more to construct new detention centers.

In an article in The Courier-Journal, Sen. Tom Jensen, R-London, said, “What this bill really does is send a message to the rest of our country and to foreign countries that we do not tolerate people coming into this country illegally.” I had thought it sent the message that political grandstanding and race-baiting were worth any price ― even higher taxes!

IVONNE ROVIRA
Louisville 40205
Source