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Title: Mercedes exec arrested under Alabama immigration law
Source:
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URL Source: http://www.thelocal.de/national/201 ... m_medium=email&utm_content=226
Published: Nov 26, 2011
Author: staff
Post Date: 2011-11-26 03:27:11 by Tatarewicz
Keywords: None
Views: 170
Comments: 13
Police in Alabama last week arrested and briefly held a visiting Mercedes-Benz executive from Germany for not having a drivers license, drawing attention to the US state's controversial new immigration law. According to the Associated Press, the unnamed 46-year-old manager was only able to present a German identity card when pulled over by Tuscaloosa police last Wednesday. He was subsequently arrested and charged with not having proper identification as required by Alabama’s new immigration law, which has been criticised as being excessively draconian. Eventually, a colleague was able to find the man’s passport, visa and drivers licence at his hotel and took it to police, who subsequently released the Daimler executive, the Associated Press reported. Mercedes-Benz’s headquarters in Germany confirmed the arrest to The Local, but declined to comment further, directing all questions to its US subsidiary, which was not available on Monday morning. "We heard that he didn’t have a drivers licence but we don’t have any more information right now," a spokeswoman told The Local. The incident even apparently drew in Alabama’s governor, who called the authorities to determine what had happened, although his office denied he had exerted any pressure on police. The executive was caught up in the controversy surrounding an Alabama law passed in June, which is widely considered to be the strictest in America. Most of the law, which requires police to verify someone’s immigration status if officers have a “reasonable suspicion” he or she could be in the United States illegally, has been upheld by courts so far, despite challenges by civil liberties advocates. Mercedes-Benz has built cars at a plant near Tuscaloosa since 1993 and in 2000 invested $600 million (€445 million) in an expansion of the facility. According to the company, the plant provides more than 22,000 jobs and is Alabama’s largest exporter, sending $1 billion (€743 million) in exports throughout the world. comments #1 pepsionice Several things are left out of this story. Why the cops stopped him? Because no tag on the rear of the car.....either it fell off or it was stolen. The cops went to the next step to establish his ID, and no....the German ID card won't work in the US (or for that matter in 100 other countries, including Canada). The cops could have been nice about this deal and simply driven him to the hotel but they aren't the same type of cops that you'd find in Germany (who would have done it that way). I'm guessing the governor will personally call the guy today and offer up an apology and perhaps even a meal at the governor's mansion. As for the immigration law? Well....it never would have been pushed if the federal government had been performing the requirements of the national law. The sad thing is that Alabama will end up with various issues because of this stupid state law. And I guess the 300k Germans who visit America each year....will likely skip Alabama as their number one tourist spot. #2 ChrisRea What? A German driving an expensive Mercedes? Of course it is highly probable that he is an illegal immigrant. #3 wood artist This is a classic case of the "law of unintended consequences." The folks in Alabama don't like the way the US federal government approaches immigration, so, contrary to the US Constitution, they decided to create their own program. While the courts are deciding how legal that is (it's not, but it takes some time to make that clear) the Alabama folks are doing their own thing. Personally I doubt there are too many Hispanics (the target of the law) that speak German, in Alabama you just never know. Basically most cops everywhere else (except Arizona) would have ignored the whole situation, or let the guy off with a warning. However...well, yeah. I suspect the Feds will be calling the Alabama governor, suggesting that they're meddling in foreign policy and making it clear that stuff like this is unacceptable, and no state law can change it. I'm sorry this gentleman ran afoul of America's Dumbest. #4 twisted My recommendation would be for Mercedes to relocate their factory to a more friendly state of which there are many. Do a survey, find states with Democratic governors and legislatures and move consider moving there. It is about time that these idiotic Republicans begin to learn that their asinine laws have serious negative consequences. #5 Aburgboy Merc should move the plant to another state. I guarantee the law would change right away. They cannot afford to lose more jobs. It is sad to see that restrictions impose by stupid government on working people, yet they have thousands for illegal human traffickers running amok in southern states. #6 hh922 Those Alabama cops should have their ass chewed out starting at the White House level and working down to town level. We have a German Foreign Exchange student who is 17 living with us in Tennessee and he easily got a TENN Drivers license without any problem... I made him do that just in case some goof ball cop wanted to give him a hard time if he was stopped... as to the investment MB made in Alabama, hopefully MB will look at this as a "red neck" mistake by high school level law enforcement #7 nemo999 The East Alabamus Redneckus is alive and well. To quote a very famous Sheriff of the South one Buford T. Justice, "Sumbitch, why I declare You all are NOT from around here, are you". That is the American equivalent of Ausländer, and "YOUR PAPERS PLEASE". Barney Fife is alive and well, living and working near Tuscaloosa, and he wears a uniform, and yes it does sound like he barely graduated from High School. So when in Alabama remember, "You all be careful now you here", don't drive like you are in Germany on the Autobahn. #9 paynet2128 You folks are are really funny. This is an issue of personal responsibility, you do not travel anywhere and leave your ID and drivers license in the hotel! I don't care who you are! I have lived in Germany for 10 years and never once drove my car without my License. Why, because I refuse to have any issue with the Police. Yes, I now I am not a exec with Merc, it doesn't matter I still put my pants on one leg at a time just like the exec. #10 nemo999 Well the little town in south Texas that I am from the only way not to have an issue with the local police, since they are primary revenue producing unit for the town is NOT to be anywhere near the Town, hell the DPS try not to spend too much time in the town. So come to our little speed trap, and be prepared to leave a few of your hard earned dollars with our fair little city, even if you have all of your papers. They even have pre-printed envelopes which they will cheerfully provide for your donation. To my knowledge no one has ever won a jury trial. Poster Comment: A company exec has lots to concentrate on while running a multi-billion dollar operation in a highly-competitive, PR-conscious field, something far beyond the grasp of the "Elbows" and "Dogberrys" of the day. Don't hear of these kinds of hassles in China; maybe a reason for the corporate stampede into that country.
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#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
Puh-leeze. Is there any corporate ass you won't kiss? If Germany wants to do business in the States, let them follow the laws. In Germany, they most certainly would have required an American to have a license and proper ID. It isn't as though modern Germans in the business class don't all speak English fluently. Or that they could be unaware of Alabama's controversial law as Mercedes certainly looks at any laws that may affect a state's labor market as Alabama's will. One law for all. Not one for illegal Mexicans and a different one for rich well-educated German executives. I would guess Mercedes is mildly embarrassed and will quickly put this behind them. Alabama doesn't have to kiss their asses at all since the plant is already built there and won't be moved. I notice many other comments on that page insisting that the normal custom of carrying a drivers license and passport, whether in your home country or a foreign country, has to be observed. And on that same website:
I don't know about all countries of course but I do know that in most you damn well WILL carry "your papers" or at least copies of them if you don't want problems with cops and la migra. There is no reason why an executive with a successful German company wouldn't know that.
I actually like this story, in a good-for-the-goose-good-for-the-gander way. This German can more easily afford the ticket than some grunt living in that state. And he thought to carry his German ID card but couldn't be bothered to carry that other tiny card, his German drivers' license? The passport is a bit larger but even that is no big item to drop into your pocket. Well, it isn't a major story but I didn't like the idea that rich people building factories in some rural state have to be kowtowed to like medieval nobility. We have too much of that crap already. My guess is he'll pay the fine, no-contest, as quietly as possible. If he actually went to court, he probably could talk the judge out of it but I think he wants no more reporting of the story for the sake of his career.
Yep. If it's good enough to stop Juan and Carlos it should be good enough to stop Adolf and Heinz, ahaha.
Aren't honchos generally met at the airport by a driver and car? Was dude out test-driving one of the plant's product? Kind of a goofy story.
Probably someone in middle management who doesn't get the perks of the president or vp or comptroller. From the article: "According to the Associated Press, the unnamed 46-year-old manager..."
There are no replies to Comment # 7. End Trace Mode for Comment # 7.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestA company exec has lots to concentrate on while running a multi-billion dollar operation in a highly-competitive, PR-conscious field, something far beyond the grasp of the "Elbows" and "Dogberrys" of the day. Don't hear of these kinds of hassles in China; maybe a reason for the corporate stampede into that country.
B16 is a German citizen and is being sued by another German citizen and was not driving the Popemobile either.
Pope sued for not wearing seat belt
#2. To: TooConservative (#1)
I notice many other comments on that page insisting that the normal custom of carrying a drivers license and passport, whether in your home country or a foreign country, has to be observed.
#3. To: James Deffenbach (#2)
#5. To: TooConservative (#3)
Well, it isn't a major story but I didn't like the idea that rich people building factories in some rural state have to be kowtowed to like medieval nobility. We have too much of that crap already.
#6. To: James Deffenbach, 4 (#5)
#7. To: Lod (#6)
Aren't honchos generally met at the airport by a driver and car?
Replies to Comment # 7.