Today, my organization, along with several other civil rights organizations, declared a collective "Basta!" in response to Arizona's notorious racial profiling law. This morning we filed a class action lawsuit to prevent this law from disrupting the lives of countless people of color.
Arizona's legislature recently turned back the clock on civil rights by passing SB 1070, a sweeping piece of legislation that will effectively order police to ask men, women, and children "suspected" of being undocumented to show their papers. Furthermore, those caught transporting or sheltering undocumented immigrants -- even family members -- can be charged with a criminal offense under the new law.
This law will threaten the very livelihoods and daily actions of Arizonans of color, hurting all Arizonans. Take, for example, plaintiff Luz Santiago. Santiago, a church pastor in Mesa, is a U.S. citizen and a Latina. She believes that the law will not only trample on her civil rights, but will also put the safety of her mostly Latino congregation at risk. The law would subject her to arrest for the simple act of taking congregants to the hospital when they need urgent care or youth to spiritual events if they are undocumented. She also fears that her church will no longer be a sanctuary for all, leaving vulnerable people with nowhere to turn when they need help.
Or take the example of Jim Shee, a U.S. citizen of Chinese and Spanish ancestry. Over the past month, Shee has been stopped by police twice for essentially "driving while brown." Both times, police demanded "papers" from this 70-year-old born-and-bred Arizonan. Shee, like many of us, does not carry his passport or U.S. birth certificate when running errands or driving about town. Shee rightly fears that his story will become the story of countless people in his community.
It's been decades since a state government made such an overt attempt to trample on the civil rights of an entire segment of its society. From Maine to California, millions of people of all backgrounds have united to draw a line in the sand, organizing marches and boycotts to raise concerns about this blatant affront to human rights and civil liberties. Groups ranging from the generally apolitical Phoenix Suns to active civil rights organizations across the country are standing up to reject this racist law. If we fail to take down this law and to protect the rights of all Arizonans, we will have allowed the politics of hatred and fear to win. Now, with attorneys working on the case, Friendly House, et al. v. Whiting, et al., the National Immigration Law Center will be able to utilize a powerful legal weapon in the fight to protect our rights.
Civil rights leaders and cultural icons ranging from Shakira to Desmond Tutu to President Obama have given eloquent explanations about why Arizona's racial profiling law makes a mockery of this country's values and Constitution. The National Immigration Law Center also feels it is necessary to stop this law from going into effect. We filed this suit today because if we do not take a stand, people like plaintiffs Jim Shee and Luz Santiago will suffer tremendously, and the very fabric of our society will be weakened. America is better than this and we must ensure that the founding values of this country are upheld for all.
Our rights, when threatened, must be protected by any means necessary. Until they are secured, we must continue to rally, organize, and sue to ensure that we maintain liberty, justice, and equality for all.
This Lecture was done in 1999. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM1YU-Ni_84
Looking at the chart when he gets there,
What they estimated in 1999 for 2010 is spot on what actually happened.
[Estimated in 1999 population would be just over 300 million in 2010. It is..]
When he gets to the gumball demonstration keep in mind the large jar represents the people in the world that are WORSE OFF than Mexicans.
Because of illegal immigration from 1999 to present we've had to:
Build TWICE as many - schools - roads - sewer plants - power plants.
Build TWICE as many -everything else- that's infrastructure.
Hire TWICE as many new cops and firemen and teachers. [Or leave things under serviced.]
Use TWICE as many TREES and other natural resources.
Anyone that thinks illegal immigration isn't a significant load on our economy and natural resources is a moron.
Overpopulation from illegal immigration will SOON destroy the US as you know it.
If you don't want every city in the US to become a giant LA-like Slum within our or our children's lifetimes then illegal immigration has to STOP NOW!
~
Link to just the chart. [Sorry about the quality.]
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/files/imagecache/fpage/files/cck_images/population.jpg..
. .
If we aren't careful this president will lead the United States into complete civil w ar . Why is he not coming out to calm people down? Some leader.
Oh, wait! There's more! If you've changed your name due to marriage, you'll need your marriage certificate in addition to your birth certificate.
This quote from Ms. Hincapie's article tells you everything you need to know about the agenda of her organization:
"Furthermore, those caught transporting or sheltering undocumented immigrants -- even family members -- can be charged with a criminal offense under the new law."
Yeah. The new law might actually lead to people that commit criminal offenses being charged with criminal offenses. It's an outrage, I tell you.
EPIC FAIL
And by the way, in 2002, the Bush Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel issued a legal opinion concluding that state police officers have “inherent power” to arrest undocumented immigrants for violating federal law. The Obama Administration has not withdrawn the opinion, nor issued a subsequent opinion revising the Justice Department's position on the issue. Consequently, it remains the Justice Department's official position.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/17/AR2010051702175.html
If Obama takes no action on the issue, it will be amusing to watch the plaintiffs try to argue that the Arizona law is preempted in the face of a Justice Department legal opinion authorizing exactly what the state has done.
I know what your lawyers will say when you propose this lawsuit. They will tell you you are nuts..
If you want to help the illegal immigrants, send your money to AZ to help them pay the 2.5 billion a year expenses they are incurring because of illegal immigrants..
Missouri legislature used to file almost the same bill year after year prohibiting funds for family planning for health dept, was a required Federal matching program, got tossed at least 3 or 4 years running.
It is our job to vote the people out of office who not only came up with this ineffective and controversial law but are also bankrupting our state. In the meantime, the only way I can see to stop this law is for the courts to strike it down. Too many conservatives in this state think there is a quick fix to our problems and refuse to deal with the reality of a multiethnic state.
Section 834b in the California Penal Code = Every law enforcement agency in California shall fully cooperate with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service regarding any person who is arrested if he or she is suspected of being present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws. (b) With respect to any such person who is arrested, and suspected of being present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws, every law enforcement agency shall do the following: (1) Attempt to verify the legal status of such person as a citizen of the United States, an alien lawfully admitted as a permanent resident, an alien lawfully admitted for a temporary period of time or as an alien who is present in the United States in violation of immigration laws. The verification process may include, but shall not be limited to, questioning the person regarding his or her date and place of birth, and entry into the United States, and demanding documentation to indicate his or her legal status
All you need is a Drivers License or State ID from AZ or any state that complies with the Real ID Act! You don’t have to carry any other “papers”!
Everyone just shows their papers once, like we all have to do to apply for our DL or state ID, and you’re done.
Increasingly, states are requiring proof of citizenship when applying for “enhanced” driver’s licenses as required by the federal Real ID Act.
Documents Serving as Primary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship:
In most cases, documents serving as “primary” proof or evidence of citizenship are required. Documents serving as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship are:
Previously issued, undamaged US passport
Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state of birth
Consular Report of Birth (of U.S. citizen) Abroad or Certification of Birth
Naturalization Certificate
Certificate of Citizenship
The Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth should be obtained by persons who were born abroad to U.S. citizens.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/immigrationnaturalizatio/a/proofofcitzenship.htm
A. This law has not taken effect yet so this cannot be related to it!
B. The new law SAYS a valid AZ DL is all you need. So when see's "driving about town", she would have no worries. She would not have to carry any other "papers".
Whats wrong with that?
Don't you think the family would know if they were illegal?
If you transport a family member that robbed a bank, you go to jail too.