I'm posting this on Flame because I expect to get a spirited and outraged response from our resident bleeding-heart liberals here. So lay on, MacDudes!

I've posted previously that I supported Arizona's new law concerning stopping suspected illegal aliens for questioning by the authorities. I asserted this was not "profiling", indeed, that there is nothing wrong with "profiling" since the police have always had, and should have, the right to respectfully stop, identify, and question individuals who might be potential suspects, or fit the description of a suspect. I take this to mean the individuals in question (regardless of their physical appearance), might attract suspicion because they associate with illegal aliens, frequent localities frequented by illegal aliens, (such as street corners where workers gather looking for day work), speak the same language as illegal aliens, or otherwise exhibit cultural attributes associated with illegal aliens (dress, low-rider automotive accessories, norteño music, etc.). When individuals appear to be illegal aliens, by appearance or behavior, then the authorities now have the right to question them. After all, if they are not doing anything illegal, they have nothing to fear, right?

Upon further reflection, I have determined that this law could be validly extended to, and provide precedent for, situations and entities other than individuals. For example, we all know that the only reason illegals cross the border is to find work, and that employers who hire them, or seek to do so, are therefore also illegal, and should be subject to similar laws. Why not use the new law to provide basis to investigate or question them? The authorities should have the right to stop and question employers and enter job sites that have a history of hiring illegals, or that are likely to depend on illegal labor. When illegals are caught entering or exiting or otherwise loitering around a business establishment, that should be all the justification needed for the authorities to enter and seek out illegal workers there, apprehend them, and to fine or arrest those employing them. And if suspected illegals must surrender their ID, why shouldn't suspected employers of illegals be forced to open their papers and records for inspection as well? Illegals about to be arrested could be deported instead, if they indicated where they worked.
Make them rat out the lowlifes that exploit them, in fact, if they turn State's Evidence, let them keep their illegal paychecks!

And why stop there? When an individual determined to be illegal is caught trying to cash a paycheck, shouldn't the issuer of that paycheck immediately become a suspect? Police dragnets could be set up around banks, check-cashing businesses, wire transfer offices, any place where illegal paychecks can be seized and used to lead back to the criminals that issued them. In fact, why stop at just employers of illegal immigrants? Let us use the law to prosecute all those who do business with illegals. If they can't present proper ID when they buy their frijoles or a money order addressed to someone south of the border, then the merchant has an obligation to refuse their business and turn them in or go to jail himself. A country has a right to secure its borders. This is war, and providing aid and comfort to the enemy is treason.

Since profiling is obviously a bogus issue, then surely there would be no objection by businesses of spot checks of their employment and payroll records to establish that all individuals receiving compensation from said firm be recorded as having presented proof of citizenship when they were hired. Failure to have done so, or failure for the company to prove that such documentation was presented at hiring time, would be prima facie evidence of illegality on the part of the company. Of course, if the firm could prove in court the illegal worker used forged documents, it would not be held responsible. I'm not an unreasonable man.

America is a country of laws, and since the Supreme Court has now ruled that companies have the right of free speech just like people, then surely they must have the obligation to speak the truth when questioned by police. I can guarantee that if it became as easy to get busted for hiring an illegal as for being one, and if the penalties were severe enough, the illegal alien problem would go away overnight. And if the fines were high enough, the cost of enforcing the new law would more than be taken care of. As for the "illegal searches and seizures" defense that the lawyers would inevitably try to use, there is a symmetry here that cannot be denied. These people are breaking the law. They have no right to equal protection under the law. After all, if they are not doing anything illegal, they have nothing to fear, right?