In 2006, a whopping 80% of Arizona’s voters passed Proposition 100—a ballot measure denying illegal immigrants charged with certain crimes an opportunity for bail.
Although this law was intended to target illegal immigrants charged with serious felonies, the law allowed Arizona to deny bail for crimes most of us don’t consider very serious. Examples include being held in jail until trial, with no chance of bail, for illegally copying a sound recording.
On Wednesday, a federal court threw out Arizona’s law as unconstitutional—rendering the law a failed experiment. As such, hundreds of illegal immigrants held in jail may seek bail starting as early as November.
I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to reading comments from Arizona’s Governor Jan Brewer, a Proposition 100 supporter.
Although California does not have a similar law, California lawmakers have nevertheless found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency holds (“ICE holds”) have been wrongfully used to detain suspected illegal immigrants (even those who have not been charged with a crime). As a response, California passed Assembly Bill 4, which went into effect January 2014, and which limits ICE’s power by preventing ICE from detaining anyone who has not been charged with or convicted of certain crimes.
Here is a link to the full story:
BesideTheLaw 