New Orleans, Louisiana. July 31, 2009.

In short, the knowledge of “citizens” is symptomatic and therefore different from that of the police, at least when this knowledge functions strategically and doesn’t complete more superficial operations for appearances sake or to reassure people (such as patrolling or checking IDs in area considered high-risk). Thus, the typical citizens’ protest against police indifference is born, as well as a certain attitude of distance or irritation on the part of some police agents towards citizens:

In my opinion, an Italian who hires an extracommunitari is two-faced. On the one had, he could say, “I feel sorry for these poor people. Rather than seeing them out selling roses on street corners, I’ll give the something for taking care of my yard.” On the other hand, if you give someone a job illegally, then you, as an “employer” don’t pay any taxes, you don’t help pay for their health care, you don’t help pay for any assistance this worker would need if some work accident or anything like that happened.”

Excerpted from Non-Persons: The Exclusions of Migrants in a Global Society by Alessandro Dal Lago. Tranlsated by Marie Orton. Published by IPOC di Pietro Condemi, Italy, 2009.