Ithaca College

Donathan Brown, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, has authored an article which will appear in the Inext issue of the International Journal of Discrimination and the Law (published in the UK).  The article, entitled, "An Invitation to Profile: Arizona v. United States," analyzes the recent Supreme Court decision regarding the constitutionality of Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070.

While the Supreme Court invalidated three of the law’s four provisions, both President Barack Obama and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer framed the outcome as a "victory."

In Dr. Brown's essay, particular focus is placed on the provision that allows officers to question the immigration status of those stopped or detained for non-immigration offenses.  The Supreme Court decision places this provision within the parameters of a “wait and see” scenario.

Brown's essay argues that the Court has inadvertently endorsed and delivered an open invitation for racial profiling by local law enforcement, chiefly aimed at the states growing Latino population.