Are Americans living the dream protected by our Declaration of Independence or are we living in a constant state of fear? The sad truth to this question for many southwestern Americans is yes; we are afraid. What are we afraid of ?We are afraid of the drugs, gangs, documentation fraud,…

Immigration is such a complex and contentious issue. There is no quick fix to the problem. You are right. Our borders are not secure. The drug war is getting more violent all the time and it is true that there are illegal immigrants smuggling drugs into America. However, I have a hard time accepting the idea that most immigrants are doing this. I also know that many immigrants who are engaging in smuggling are doing so under threat of violence from the cartels. This complicates the issue because it will become easier and easier for people to decide there is no difference between an immigrant and a dangerous cartel member. Unfortunately, there are also those who see no distinction between an Hispanic American citizen and a Mexican immigrant here illegally. Between 2003 and 2007, hate crimes against Latinos rose 40%. Check out this article http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2008/10/29/anti-latino-hate-crimes-rise-for-fourth-year/.  So, while I agree with that immigration laws need to reformed and border security needs strengthening, I believe the approach Arizona is using will only increase violence towards Latinos whether they are legal or not. Human beings can not be illegal; only their actions can be described as illegal.