Mercedes manager from Germany arrested under Alabama new anti immigration law

[Ichingcarpenter]

SCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- A German manager with Mercedes-Benz is free after being arrested for not having a driver's license with him under Alabama's new law targeting illegal immigrants, authorities said Friday, in an otherwise routine case that drew the attention of Gov. Robert Bentley.

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steven Anderson told The Associated Press an officer stopped a rental vehicle for not having a tag Wednesday night and asked the driver for his license. The man only had a German identification card, so he was arrested and taken to police headquarters, Anderson said.

The 46-year-old executive was charged with violating the immigration law for not having proper identification, but he was released after an associate retrieved his passport, visa and German driver's license from the hotel where he was staying, Anderson said.

The length of his detainment and the status of his court case weren't immediately known.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ALABAMA_IMMIGRATION_LAW_MERCEDES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-11-18-20-16-23

[WVRICK13]

1. Utterly Amazing

We need jobs and we are antagonizing the people who import jobs to our country.

[bullimiami]

2. Where are your papers?

[pinboy3niner]

3. Deja vu: A German being asked for his papers...only this time it's here in America

Way to go, Alabama state lawmakers! :sarcasm:

[DocMac]

4. I Know Nothing!!! n/t

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Alabama? Well their test scores prove it

let alone what they legislate.

[Edweird]

6. The EU has anti-illegal immigration laws as well. Illegals in Germany can be held for up 18 months

before deportation. I don't see the problem here.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. They don't have a show me your papers laws

sorry you don't know what you are talking about.

[FarCenter]

8. Personalausweis

compulsory for all German citizens age 16 or older to possess either a "Personalausweis" (identity card) or a passport, but not to carry it. While police officers and some other officials have a right to demand to see one of those documents, the law does not state that one is obliged to submit the document at that very moment. Fines may only be applied if an identity card or passport is not possessed at all, if the document is expired or if one explicitly refuses to show ID to the police. If one is unable to produce an ID card or passport (or any other form of credible identification) during a police control, one can (in theory) be brought to the next police post and detained for max. 12 hours, or until positive identification is possible. However, this measure is only applied if the police have reasonable grounds to believe the person detained has committed an offense.

As driver's licences are not legally accepted forms of identification in Germany, most persons actually carry their "Personalausweis" with them.<7>.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_identity_card_policies_by_country

[Edweird]

9. So you believe that an American working in Germany doesn't need a visa?

Or are you claiming that you don't have to display it to law enforcement?
LOL.