Arizona Immigration Law Backlash: Hundreds March Against SB 1070

By Tim Gaynor

PHOENIX--A few hundred protesters, some toting placards reading "no to racial profiling," marched through downtown Phoenix on Wednesday to urge the U.S. Supreme Court to block Arizona's two-year-old crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

"My message to the Supreme Court is 'don't single out the Hispanic race,'" said Melanie Renteria, 38, who was among 200-300 mostly Hispanic protesters rallying in a park ahead of the march.

"I hope they overturn SB 1070. I think it's wrong for local police to try to do what the government is supposed to do, which is immigration," she added

Protesters, some chanting "no justice, no peace, no racist police," set off on a three-mile route passing by city hall, a hardline local sheriff's office and the headquarters of the federal immigration police in the city.

Police made nine arrests for obstructing the road and disorderly conduct, although most protesters "behaved themselves well ... Those that got arrested wanted to be arrested," Phoenix police department spokesman James Holmes said.

Signed by Republican Governor Jan Brewer in April 2010, the state law sought to drive undocumented immigrants out of Arizona and includes a measure requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone detained and suspected of being in the country without documents.

Parts were blocked by a federal judge before it came into effect, and the Supreme Court began hearing arguments in the state's appeal on Wednesday.

Among protesters gathering for the march was Vee Newton, 42, a Navajo tribal member who carried a placard reading "SB 1070 Targets Brown People."

"One thing that is confusing to me is how does one distinguish who an immigrant is and who is not?" he said.

"Brown-skinned people are usually the first people to be targeted ... as immigrants in this state because Mexico is so close," he added.

Conservative justices, who hold a majority on the high court, appeared to endorse Arizona's immigration crackdown on Wednesday, rejecting the Obama administration stance that the federal government has sole power over those who illegally enter the United States.

The court is likely to rule at the end of June as the political campaign season heats up.

Carlos Garcia, of grassroots community organization Puente in Phoenix, said the law had already led to racial profiling in Arizona. If the law is upheld by the court he said he believed profiling would increase.

"What SB 1070 will do is simply multiply that. It will make things worse in Arizona," he said.

Brewer says the law is needed to safeguard Arizonans, and accuses the Obama administration of failing to secure the porous Mexico border. She said this week she had a "duty and obligation to defend the people of Arizona - especially when the federal government has fallen down on the job."

Earlier on Wednesday a smaller rally of around 25 conservative Tea Party activists gathered outside the state capitol in Phoenix, according to news reports.

(Editing by Todd Eastham and Eric Beech)

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

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Comments

[Jim Tyson]

03:09 PM on 05/01/2012

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.immigration911.org%2Fnews%2F2012%2F05%2F14-year-old-mo-girl-gang-raped-by-illegal-and-accomplices%2F&h=FAQHRtCWxAQGztU-V8b9dlN9P9geSe9RuRfEjJrXhXnwP-w
Things like this is why we need tougher Immigration laws.

[BiggpussJr]

03:54 PM on 04/30/2012

Arizona Immigration Law Backlash: Hundreds March Against SB 1070

Let's see Arizona has a population of 6,445,000. And 2-3 hundred is a backlash? Seems like MOST CITIZENS agree with SB 1070. When they have a rally and USA citizens are marching to repeal the law, then I will pay attention.
This would be like saying 3,000 convicts disagree with prison food. You dont like the food stop commiting crimes.
You dont like the laws stop sneaking in.

[BiggpussJr]

03:49 PM on 04/30/2012

"My message to the Supreme Court is 'don't single out the Hispanic race,'" said Melanie Renteria, 38, who was among 200-300 mostly Hispanic protesters rallying in a park ahead of the march.

My message to Ms. Renteria is to stop singling out USA for illegal immigration. Go south to Brazil or Argentina.

[timesrtough]

03:25 PM on 04/30/2012

From the article: Carlos Garcia, of grassroots community organization Puente in Phoenix, said the law had already led to racial profiling in Arizona. If the law is upheld by the court he said he believed profiling would increase"
Well if he "believes" it will lead to profiling than not doubt it will happen. All we need is his belief and that should be enough information for us to make up our minds.
Again from the article: "Brewer says the law is needed to safeguard Arizonans, and accuses the Obama administration of failing to secure the porous Mexico border. She said this week she had a "duty and obligation to defend the people of Arizona - especially when the federal government has fallen down on the job."
Now why should we believe her? What does she know? Can't take her word for this. I mean, what is she, only the Governor.

[RobietheCat]

02:58 AM on 04/30/2012

Hispanic is not a race.

[voyager48]

06:00 PM on 04/29/2012

This is nonsense - AZ Stop & Identify statues:

13-2412. Refusing to provide truthful name when lawfully detained; classification

A. It is unlawful for a person, after being advised that the person's refusal to answer is unlawful, to fail or refuse to state the person's true full name on request of a peace officer who has lawfully detained the person based on reasonable suspicion that the person has committed, is committing or is about to commit a crime. A person detained under this section shall state the person's true full name, but shall not be compelled to answer any other inquiry of a peace officer.

B. A person who violates this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

[pathfinderno1]

09:42 AM on 04/29/2012

I'm confused, Central Valley of Cailfornia we grow everything here, finding hispanic workers here isn't a problem, maybe Az hispanics should come to Central Valley Cailfornia.

[Kurfco]

12:11 PM on 04/28/2012

Fear of consequences is what makes laws work. The fact that people are marching like this tells me that finally, finally, we have managed to instill fear that we might actually enforce our immigration laws.

[BiggpussJr]

03:56 PM on 04/30/2012

Dont believe that. They are marching because they KNOW they will not be arrested and deported. I say start checking THE PROTESTERS for legal papers. And if theey are not USA citizens ship away.

[nobodysgirl]

02:33 AM on 04/28/2012

Only in America are people who are here illegally, who crossed into our country through the back door like a thief in the night - jumping ahead of their fellow countrymen who wait to come in the front door, legally - allowed to protest in our streets, about our laws, our beliefs, their 'rights', on and on.

Protest all you want; if you are here illegally, you do not belong here. You have no rights, you have no justification, and you need to go back home and apply through the front door.

While you're back in your own country, why not join together to oust your corruptgovernment and improve your own nation?

[BiggpussJr]

03:57 PM on 04/30/2012

Agree 100% Why not protest YOUR own corupt governments?

[Judane]

09:19 PM on 04/27/2012

If the US gov't would have simply actively enforced our immigration laws, we wouldn't even be talking about this.

70% of Americans support the AZ immigration law.

The "downside" to this law being found Constitutional is nothing compared to how things woul have gotten if it were shot down.

[ernie3]

11:57 PM on 04/27/2012

Get over it ! The same people who are whining about the illegals are the same ones who are hiring them.Stop hiring them .

[brokerallen]

01:44 AM on 04/28/2012

It's not the same people at all.

[Gene Patten]

09:07 PM on 04/28/2012

WE HAVE e-verfiy is working thats why so many illegals have left the state if the law is upheld the rest will leave one way or the other.

[inthedesert]

07:05 PM on 04/27/2012

These people can march until their legs fall off but its not going to change what's in store for illegals in America once the SCOTUS upholds Arizona's law. Once this happens, I'll bet every state in the Union that is swamped by illegal's cost for healthcare and the education of their anchor spawn passes similar laws. The "American Taxpayer E Ticket Ride" is being phased out for illegals in America. It's about time too. The best thing for any illegal Mexican in America could do is pack up now and head for home.....that would be Mexico.

[Kurfco]

12:15 PM on 04/28/2012

It would be nice if that were true but states like New York, Illinois and California will go through a hopefully brief period of being sanctuaries. At some point, though, the cost of being the refuge for tens of thousands of migratory illegal aliens will persuade them, too, to follow suit and pass SB1070 type laws.

It is a no brainer that if we are ever to have a functioning immigration system, state and local police must be part of the enforcement. They must be the front line.

[nasknit]

05:49 PM on 04/27/2012

" "My message to the Supreme Court is 'don't single out the Hispanic race,'" said Melanie Renteria, 38, who was among 200-300 mostly Hispanic protesters rallying in a park ahead of the march." When 80% of the illegal aliens are Latino, exactly WHO should they be looking at? Red-headed Scotsmen? Maori tribesmen? Sumo wrestlers?

[BiggpussJr]

03:58 PM on 04/30/2012

Wish I could fan you again. .......Maori tribesman......Sumo wrestlers....lmao

[Snake1994]

05:11 PM on 04/27/2012

What gives illegal aliens the right to protest in our cities, and make demands that we change our laws to suite them. If you did that anywhere else in the world you'd be jailed. This is precisely why we need laws like SB1070.

[inthedesert]

07:06 PM on 04/27/2012

RIGHT ON!!

[Giggie]

08:27 AM on 04/29/2012

What makes you think that the protestors were illegals? Again, you imput your prejudices into your statement. It's the fact that legal citizens can be arbitrarily stopped on the basis of their skin colour, or some other pretext. If they don't happen to have their papers on them they can be arrested. Sounds like Nazi Germany to me.

[Snake1994]

01:41 PM on 04/29/2012

If you are legal you have nothing to worry about, because you will be carrying I.D. That's what we do here in America.

[BiggpussJr]

04:08 PM on 04/30/2012

If you are driving you SHOULD have your "papers". They ALL come from countries that require licenses right?

[spytheweb]

04:32 PM on 04/27/2012

"don't single out the Hispanic race"= don't try and find out that i'am a illegal alien.

[ts w]

05:17 PM on 04/27/2012

well yes...how about those candians that are illegal...so am i going to get stop because i am hispanic...i want everyone wht black yellow green to carry papers

[inthedesert]

07:07 PM on 04/27/2012

LOL..................you mean the 20 million illegal Canadians hiding out in America????
You must be joking...............................LMAO.

[KENYANLIBERAL]

04:15 PM on 04/27/2012

The blame should be put squarely on the Federal Govt. failure to even keep records of those who legally entered, changed status or failed to do so at all making them, technically illegal. it's more complex for an average American to understand, unfortunately! It makes me sick to the stomach when I see Kenyans queue for hours in the US Embassy, paying hefty visa fees like they are going to "Heaven". It's worse at Tijuana-San Diego border!