Mercedes Executive gets Arrested in Alabama

The controversial, and possibly the nation’s toughest immigration law has once again entered the headlines. This time it’s because an executive for  Mercedes-Benz was arrested after a routine traffic stop.

The executive was stopped by police, because his rental car did not have a license plate. Alabama authorities placed Detlev Hager in custody; he only had his German identification on him at the time of the traffic stop. He left his passport and driver’s license in his hotel. Before the law was passed in Alabama he would have been cited and let go, but he was instead taken to a local jail.

Though this arrest happened last Wednesday, today people, even the state’s Governor, is reconsidering the law, according to Reuters. The Mercedes-Benz contract was a big win for the state, but the “papers please provision” may have a negative impact on foreign companies, who conduct business in the state.

Though the law is intended to catch illegal immigrants, who have not attained legal status with the assistance of an immigration attorney, this is one example of the negative ramifications the harsh law can have. The law obviously needs a second look and some revisions.

Numerous other states have enacted tough immigration laws, and those who are undocumented are feeling the pinch. In order to avoid incarceration and eventual deportation, it is critical that immigrants hire an immigration lawyer to get them visas or apply for citizenship.

Immigrants often find the process of gaining legal residency very difficult, even with the help of an immigration attorney. The visa and naturalization process is in need of serious overhauls to avoid the unnecessary incarceration of people who cannot immediately produce legal documentation.