The National Immigration Law Center, MALDEF, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU of Arizona today held a news conference in front of the Arizona State Capitol Building in Phoenix to announce their future legal challenge to Governor Jan Brewer’s recently signed SB1070.
The organizations also sought to address misinformation and fears that have been spreading throughout the Latino community across Arizona.
MALDEF, ACLU, ACLU of Arizona and NILC leaders were joined by civil rights leaders Dolores Huerta, Richard Chavez and multi-Grammy winning artist and human rights advocate, Linda Ronstadt.
“Today, the three most experienced immigrants’ and civil rights legal organizations nationwide – MALDEF, ACLU and NILC – announce their partnership, together with local Arizona-based counsel, to challenge SB1070 in court,” said MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz.
“The Arizona community can be assured that a vigorous and sophisticated legal challenge will be mounted, in advance of SB1070’s implementation, seeking to prevent this unconstitutional and discriminatory law from ever taking effect.”
“This law will only make the rampant racial profiling of Latinos that is already going on in Arizona much worse,” said Alessandra Soler Meetze, Executive Director of the ACLU of Arizona. “If this law were implemented, citizens would effectively have to carry ‘their papers’ at all times to avoid arrest. It is a low point in modern America when a state law requires police to demand documents from people on the street.”
Linton Joaquin, General Counsel of NILC, added, “This unconstitutional law sends a strong message to all immigrants to have no contact with any law enforcement officer. The inevitable result is not only to make immigrants more vulnerable to crime and exploitation, but also to make the entire community less safe, by aggressively discouraging witnesses and victims from reporting crimes.”
There are a number of serious constitutional problems with the law, the groups say. It violates the supremacy clause by interfering with federal immigration power and authority. The law also unlawfully invites racial profiling against Latinos and other people of color.
“What we are witnessing today is the blatant targeting of an entire American population, Latinos,” stated civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. “We must not give in one inch to Arizona’s effort to blame our community for all the ills of the state or their efforts to run us out. We have worked this land, built and maintained these buildings and sacrificed as much as any other. We must put an end to SB1070.”
“My family, of both German and Mexican heritage, has a long history in Arizona. It has been our diverse and shared history in this state that unites us and makes us stronger,” stated Linda Ronstadt. “What Governor Brewer signed into law last week is a piece of legislation that threatens the very heart of this great state. We must come together and stop SB1070 from pitting neighbor against neighbor to the detriment of us all.”
There are no new provisions for apprehending anyone in SB1070. Now there are calls for proclaiming it illegal to pass a law that says it is illegal to be in the USA illegally.
There are no new provisions for apprehending anyone in SB1070. Now there are calls for proclaiming it illegal to pass a law that says it is illegal to be in the USA illegally.
You people have got this a little wrong in my opinion. Everyone has a right to apply for Citizenship of this great Country, but if you break the law of the land by coming here ilegaly, that person no matter where they came from is a criminal and that is how I feel and I will never change to allow ilegals live in my country where they rape the system that my hard earned money pays for. never count on me to support a group of missguided people as your selves. I’m not threatening anyone until the step on my private property, them my protect my family law goes into effect. I’m just one of millions who feel this way so you had better re-think what you say and put in the news. A lot of peopel have a past record and they are being dug up, so befor you sling mud, you all better have a look into your own closet.
You people have got this a little wrong in my opinion. Everyone has a right to apply for Citizenship of this great Country, but if you break the law of the land by coming here ilegaly, that person no matter where they came from is a criminal and that is how I feel and I will never change to allow ilegals live in my country where they rape the system that my hard earned money pays for. never count on me to support a group of missguided people as your selves. I’m not threatening anyone until the step on my private property, them my protect my family law goes into effect. I’m just one of millions who feel this way so you had better re-think what you say and put in the news. A lot of peopel have a past record and they are being dug up, so befor you sling mud, you all better have a look into your own closet.