Opinion on "Are You a Citizen? Not Any More!"

My classmate wrote a commentary about U.S. government. He explained about a new bill proposed by Senator Joe Lieberman and Scott Brown, called Terrorist Expatriation Act. This new bill gives excessive power to the government. If the Terrorist Expatriation Act is passed, it will allow government to take away the citizenship of anyone who has been proven that, he or she has “provided materials or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.”
My classmate is correct to say that “it’s just too much power for our government to wield.” With this kind of power our democracy will lose its influence. It gives too much authority to the government to interfere with or privacy. He also mentions, what is the definition for “actions against the United States?” As we have notice in many court cases, there are different meanings and views on one subject. One question that arose in my mind after reading this article is what or who gives the ability to the government to take the citizenship of someone? I also thought about, what will be next step after taking the citizenship of someone and what is going to happen to that individual? I understand that the government is trying to keep this country and its citizens safe but I agree with my classmate that this is not the answer.

Oil over Enviroment

In the article U.S. Said to Allow Drilling Without Needed Permits the author discuss that “The federal Mineral Management Service Minerals Management Service gave permission to BP and dozens of other oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico without first getting required permits from another agency that assesses threats to endangered species.” This should be a concern to all of us because affecting the environment, not only influence marine life but all the living things that surround the ocean including us. My first concern is the environment and the other is the way our government is ignoring its own policies. Why is the government allowing these companies to drill if it is dangerous and against the law? The author also mentions, “Agency records also show that permission for those projects and plans was granted without getting the permits required under federal law.”

The Immigration Problem

The new law Arizona passed on April 23, 2010 and signed by Governor Jan Brewer is the harshest legislature against illegal immigration that the Unites States has seen throughout its history. The law gives the power to police in this state to question anyone if there is a ‘reasonable suspicion’ that the individual is an illegal immigrant. The Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Act passed by Arizona sets the stage for conflict in the United States.
The law gives state police the ability to ask anyone who looks suspicions for their papers. But, the reality is that this may increase the racial conflicts that this country is already facing. “If you live in Arizona and look like you're from Mexico, El Salvador or Guatemala, you're a suspect who must prove your citizenship or legal status.” This is very intimidating for the whole Hispanic/Latino community. One thing that this legislation has guarantee is placing the topic of immigration back on the national agenda.
Perhaps, the new Arizona law is not national government legislature but it set the stage for one question: Is this new law violating our constitutional rights guarantee by the national government? First, it would be violating our fourth amendment. This amendment protects us from unreasonable searches and seizures. In my opinion what Arizona is doing is consider is an unreasonable search because it has no evidence whether a person is an illegal immigrant or not. Not just because a person has dark eyes and hair or looks like a Mexican mean that he or she does not have a social security number. Since the Fourteen Amendment protects us from state government to take our right given by the Constitution, Arizona shouldn’t have the right to ask for our papers. Arizona is correct in asking the national government to act on the issue of immigration, but the “round-them-up-and-send-them-back approach won't work.”