Travel warnings are thought of as reserved for tourists and “American” diplomats traveling through “third world” countries dealing with coups and other political unrest. Certainly they are not thought of for states within the United States, and certainly not on the Fourth of July weekend, this is the land of the free after all. Unless of course we are talking about Arizona.

Some affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union have issued travel alert of sorts, aimed at warning Latinos and other people of color communities as to their rights when stopped by law enforcement.

“ACLU affiliates across the country are issuing these alerts because it is imperative that individuals understand their rights before traveling in Arizona,” said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. “Under Arizona’s racial profiling law, people who look ‘foreign’ are more likely to be stopped for minor infractions and then asked for their ‘papers’ if police believe, based on their appearance or accent, that they could be in the country unlawfully. We hope the alerts provide people with some measure of protection from illegal harassment from law enforcement and inform them of their rights should they encounter it.”

I know that here in New York City, some communities do not even need to leave home to deal with racial profiling by law enforcement.

The following ACLU affiliates issued travel alerts: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Northern California, Southern California, San Diego & Imperial Counties, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas and Western Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Eastern Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.