If we enact laws that can be misinterpreted than we're setting ourselves up for that reality

As you may have guessed the title, this post is in reference to the immigration bill recently passed in Arizona. I read the legislature today and it has not changed my perception of it one bit. Most of the law I have no problems with at all. It generally makes sense. The problem that I have is:

"A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, WITHOUT A WARRANT, MAY ARREST A PERSON
IF THE OFFICER HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON HAS COMMITTED
ANY PUBLIC OFFENSE THAT MAKES THE PERSON REMOVABLE FROM THE UNITED STATES"

Probable cause. Nowhere does it define what this probable cause might be. It could be that the officer encountered a group of individuals that don't speak English. Maybe they come across a Cinco de Mayo celebration where a family is proudly displaying the Mexican flag. Maybe it does come down to something as simple as the color of their skin. Most likely when this will come up it will be a combination of these and other factors that add up to probable cause. That doesn't make it right.

I am reminded of a quote from Benjamin Franklin, "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." By giving the police the authority to undermine any American's liberty we have sacrificed our claim not only to liberty but security as well.

Now immigration is a serious problem in the United States and I understand that border states like Arizona have been bearing the majority of this burden for some time. We need comprehensive immigration reform to stop the flood of illegal immigrants so that we can offer residency to those who are willing to go through the proper channels and become functioning, beneficial members of our society.

It's my firm belief that we need to start by addressing who should be allowed to stay and who shouldn't. This is very clear in my mind. Any illegal immigrant with natural born US children should be granted amnesty. In the future any child born in the US by two illegal immigrants should not be given this same right. However we need to stop destroying families in an attempt to quell the immigration problem. Next we implement much stricter penalties for companies found to be employing illegal immigrants and fund regular business check ups to ensure that anyone trying to skirt the system is found. This would just be a start, everything has to start somewhere.

I guess the only good thing that might come of this whole situation is that the federal government is going to have to stop dragging it's feet and address the issue. It's been swept under the rug for far too long, mostly because it's been perceived as "political death" to attempt to change the status quo. Now if our politicians aren't able to solve the pressing problems facing our country then, at risk of sounding like a Tea Partier, we need new politicians.