Originally posted by drwizardphd
This is an affront to personal liberty that I simply can't even fathom.

Remember, this is 20 days in jail for legal citizens just because they might not have their papers on them!

Oh really? It IS a provision of Federal Immigration Law that legal immigrants carry their documentation at all times...And not doing so is a violation of the Immigration Law.

However, once an immigrant becomes fully Naturalized as a citizen, then normal forms of ID are sufficient...And at that point ID is NOT required by law to be on-person at all times. If necessary (for example, lawfully stopped by a cop when you don't have ID & he charges or tickets you for some reason), you do have a proscribed time limit in which to get a hold of your ID & show it to a judge: This time limit may vary from State to State & perhaps even from city to city.

Originally posted by MidnightDStroyer

Oh really? It IS a provision of Federal Immigration Law that legal immigrants carry their documentation at all times...And not doing so is a violation of the Immigration Law.

You are correct.

However, this is a misdemeanor, and upon providing the proper identification to authorities within an acceptable time-frame, the permanent resident is free to go about their business.

20 days in jail for the misdemeanor of simply forgetting your green card is a ridiculously draconian sentence, and shows nothing but utter contempt for our nations legal immigrants.

Originally posted by drwizardphd
However, this is a misdemeanor, and upon providing the proper identification to authorities within an acceptable time-frame, the permanent resident is free to go about their business.

Yes, it's a misdemeanor because an actual CRIME involves having a victim which suffers under having inalienable Right(s) violated. While the Immigration Law is the 14th Amendment, the regulations & codes under that would define misdemeanors.

Illegal Immigrants violate the Law itself by trespassing against the Property Rights of citizens, which is a CRIME...Merely violating the regulation that requires documentation to be carried is a misdemeanor. I've stated before & in other threads that Illegal immigrants commit Criminal Trespass...The victim is the owner of the property being trespassed. The US Government can add other, separate charges for violating Immigration Law.

Originally posted by MidnightDStroyer
It IS a provision of Federal Immigration Law that legal immigrants carry their documentation at all times...And not doing so is a violation of the Immigration Law.

Perhaps it wasn't entirely clear, the way I stated this earlier...But I DID describe a "provision" of Immigration law, but didn't specifically define it as a "regulation." Perhaps I caused the confusion when I wrote "violation of the Immigration Law," when I should have written "violation under the Immigration Law."

[edit on 13-8-2010 by MidnightDStroyer]

Have to find the exact link but some of you are just wrong in your assumptions, there is a federal law that does require all immigrants to care papers at all times period. Until you have become a full citizen of the United States than your drivers license is all that is needed. This law was put into effect many, many years ago because so many people where and are on work visas, and when that visa expires they are suppose to report for upgraded status, extension if job is still going on, or at that time making arrangement for relocation back to their country of origin.

I live in Florida and will do all I can to pass this as well as any laws that finally will address our illegal immigration problems, jobs and other resources are scarce and the people whom came here for a better life and came in the front door are great and welcome. It’s the ones whom chose not to use the front door that I am concerned with and that the laws are enforced upon or should be.

I have worked alongside of a few of them and have asked them right out are you here to become a citizen or is there some other reason. All that I have asked has the same answer they will never become citizens they are here to make a fast buck to send back home so that after working there butts off for like 5 yrs sharing rented space with a dozen others to save as much of the money as they can, they ship back home all the money they can and after 5 yrs or there about go home and retire in the lap of luxury. Well luxury to them I guess but you get my point, and that is why we need laws to prevent this so that jobs are here for our citizen’s period and not the ones here to rob us blind.

They made a law and a means for employers to check out if such and employ is able to work in this country but like everything else this federal government passes they never enforce it and leave it up to the locals to handle it and that is exactly what they are starting to do and my hat is off to them. The states are well educated and have the means to enforce this kind of law and should be supported in there efforts to do so. Instead of having a corrupt government whom chose not to do there job fighting them every step of the way.