SB 1070 bloquée “temporairement”

SB 1070 bloquée “temporairement”

A la veille de l’entrée en vigueur de la loi de l’Etat de l’Arizona sur l’immigration (loi dite SB 1070), une juge fédérale a bloqué son application complète “temporairement”. La juge estime que certaines dispositions de cette loi sont en infraction avec les droits des personnes. Il s’agit d’une disposition temporaire en attendant qu’une deuxième plainte de l’administration Obama sur la constitutionnalité de cette loi soit examinée. Il semble acquis que l’Etat de l’Arizona va faire appel contre cette décision.

Le Guardian du 27 juillet 2010 donne des précisions sur cette décision, ainsi qu’un avis d’un spécialiste de ces questions sur les conséquences de cette décision.

«Judge Susan Bolton granted a preliminary injunction which prevents implementation of two main elements of the legislation: the requirement that police determine the immigration status of people they arrest or question should they suspect them of being illegal, and the part of the new law that would make it a state crime for a foreigner to be in Arizona without registration papers.

»The injunction will hold, Bolton said, until the courts have considered a lawsuit against Arizona by the federal government that seeks permanently to block the new law on the grounds that it is unconstitutional.

»The temporary and partial reprieve marks success, in the short-term at least, of attempts by the Obama administration to maintain federal control of immigration policy, against efforts by states, led by Arizona, to take the matter into their own hands. Several states have expressed support for Arizona's legislation that was due to come into effect tomorrow.

»But the legal ruling risks a potential white backlash as opinion polls have shown consistently high support for the law across the United States. In the latest, by CNN and Opinion Research, 55% of those sampled said they were in favour of the SB 1070 law, although in response to a separate question 54% said they thought it would lead to greater discrimination against Hispanics.

»Mark Krikorian, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a thinktank that supports tighter immigration controls, said a hardening of positions was likely in the wake of the ruling. “This will add fuel to the frustrations of states over the lack of federal government action in enforcing the immigration laws.”»

Parmi les réactions défavorables à la décision de la juge Bolton, qui fut nommée en 2000 par Bill Clinton et est donc proche du camp démocrate, on peut citer celle du quotidien conservateur Washington Times, du 28 juillet 2010, qui annonce effectivement une intensification de la polémique autour de la question de l’immigration d’ici les élections de novembre. L’éditorial attaque la décision de la juge, notamment pour “excès de juridisme”, à la lumière de précédents qui montrent une plus grande souplesse de compréhension pour la réalité des situations. Dans le cas présent, en effet, ce n’est pas une attaque contre une politique (celle de l’Arizona) pour lui substituer une autre (celle de Washington), mais pour lui substituer rien du tout (absence totale de politique de l’immigration de Washington).

«U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton miscalculated when she blocked critical aspects of Arizona's immigration enforcement law. Her decision will further intensify efforts by states to find solutions to problems posed by the Obama administration's unwillingness to take command of this pressing issue.

»The decision is certain to inflame the illegal immigration debate, and it doesn't bode well for the president or his party. According to a recent Quinnipiac poll, 55 percent of Americans back the Arizona law and 58 percent disapprove of Obama immigration policies. A Pew Research Center poll shows 63 percent think immigration reform is very important, and only 36 percent back the Justice Department's suit against Arizona. The presumed political benefits of the administration's stance are not materializing. According to Gallup, President Obama's approval ratings among Hispanics have dropped from 68 percent in April to 55 percent in the latest weekly poll.»

dedefensa.org