Is Arizona's Law Right For Ohio?

Arizona's tough new immigration law sparked a national debate that, in Greater Cincinnati, quickly translated into a call for a tough new Ohio law.

Not even six weeks after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed an illegal immigration bill into law, two Butler County politicians are pushing for a similar statute to allow police to arrest and detain illegal immigrants if they are stopped for traffic violations or arrested for crimes.

In pretty much the same fashion as their Arizona counterparts, those Butler County officials argue they're just stepping in to solve a problem the U.S. government won't.

Undocumented workers and their advocates say aspects of the Arizona law already exist here, because police profile Hispanics for traffic stops to check on their immigration status.

For their part, law enforcement agencies say those complaints are not true. Still, tensions are higher for the Hispanic population in Greater Cincinnati than for other immigrant groups.

Russian, Eastern European, Canadian and African immigrants in Greater Cincinnati, many of whom overstay their work or tourist visas, are not profiled because they blend into a larger population of whites and blacks, advocates for Hispanic immigrants say.

"The dehumanizing concept of the 'illegal alien' here is the stereotypical Mexican with dark skin," said Louis Valencia, a Blue Ash immigration attorney. "Otherwise, you can fly under the radar."

Greater Cincinnati isn't welcoming to newcomers, because it's been more than a century since the region saw any significant immigration, local experts say.

Immigration attorney Chuck Hollis, who grew up in Northern Kentucky and represents many Russian clients, thinks the lack of diversity has produced an intolerant population.

"There's an antiquated mind set here," Hollis said. "There's a real attitude of racism and xenophobia. ... I just wish (Americans) living here could put themselves in the shoes of Mexicans for a second and know the struggle, or just wanting to feed your family and eke out a living."

The twin threats of police profiling and the possibility of an Arizona-style law worry undocumented workers, who say the economics of their own countries force them to work here to provide better lives for their families.


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