Fairness or menace?

From the Republic:

The prospect of states passing varied immigration measures doesn't worry everyone.  Although some states might enact their own interpretations of Arizona's law, many other states will not, said Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C., think tank that favors vigorous enforcement of immigration laws. Illegal immigrants likely will head toward the friendlier states, he said.

"In a way, maybe this is the compromise: The states that would like to have illegal immigrants leave their state may get their wish, and those that want them to settle in their states may also get their wish," Camarota said. "It's very hard to move policy in Washington; it's easier to move it at the state level. So, maybe that's where a lot of the action is going to be."

But Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, a national organization that champions comprehensive immigration reform, predicted that Arizona and supporters of its law eventually will end up on the wrong side of U.S. civil-rights history.

"Mostly what it's going to do is drive some number of immigrants to other states - I think it will be a pretty modest number of people, but we'll find out - and give Arizona the reputation as the state that took the lead in what will become known as American-style ethnic cleansing," Sharry said. "I am horrified that states would say the way to address this problem is to put a target on the back of a whole ethnic group and try to terrorize undocumented family members out of the state."