Florida GOP Crafting Arizona-Like Law

It would crack down on illegal immigrants
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 26, 2010 1:49 PM CDT
Florida GOP Crafting Arizona-Like Law
A woman protests against Arizona immigration law in front of the US Embassy in Mexico City, Saturday, May 29, 2010.   (AP Photo/Claudio Cruz)

The controversy over Arizona's immigration law may be coming to the East Coast. Florida Republicans are writing a law based on Arizona's that would give police expanded authority to demand proof of residence from suspects, reports the Miami Herald. "We have significant components from the Arizona bill that I plan to incorporate,'' said state House member William Snyder. "We have the beginnings of it.''

Attorney General Bill McCollum, a Republican candidate for governor, is helping draft the measure, which could be introduced in the March legislative session. "The reaction is, 'What? This is ridiculous,' '' a Tampa immigration lawyer tells the Herald. "It is supposed to be that you are legal until you are proven guilty. This law is like, `We think you are guilty unless you establish that you are innocent.' ''
(More Florida stories.)

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