Jornalero News

For Immediate Release / Excuse Cross Postings / Please Distribute
Date: April 20, 2010
Contact: Marco Loera, 602-373-3859 and info@ndlon.org

On Eve of SB1070 in Arizona: 22 Jurisdictions Join Failed Police and ICE Program

Today the Department of Homeland Security announced 22 jurisdictions joined one of their local police and ICE partnerships called the “Secure Communities” program. The following is a response from Sarahi Uribe, national organizer of the “Uncovering the Truth on Police and ICE Collaboration” campaign set to launch next week:

It is alarming that today 22 jurisdictions joined another failed enforcement program that partners local police and ICE at a time when its clear these partnerships are disastrous. The widely acknowledged failures of the 287(g) program have not stopped the Administration’s rapid implementation of “Secure Communities”—which is simply a rebranded version of 287(g). The Secure Communities program forces police to forward the fingerprints of arrested individuals to DHS to verify their immigration status regardless whether the person is not yet convicted of any crimes, charges are dropped, and the arrest is unlawful.

The state of Arizona is one of the first testing grounds of these programs. Bill SB1070 is an extension of programs like 287(g) and Secure Communities. The President and his Administration must reassert the federal government’s responsibility over immigration. They must prevent the implementation of SB1070 and also put an end to disasterous local police and ICE programs that encourage racial profiling, erode trust between police and communities, and make communities less safe.

On April 27th, national and local immigrant rights, criminal justice and social justice groups throughout the country will kick off a week of action aimed at “Uncovering the Truth on Police and ICE Collaboration.” In over ten cities groups will denounce the secrecy of these program’s implementation, demand answers, and ask for a moratorium.

For more information visit: www.uncoverthetruth.org

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Peter Busch, Reporter, KPHO.com

PHOENIX — The controversial immigration bill that passed through the Arizona state legislature Monday could make you a criminal if your landscaper or maid is in the country illegally.

A section in the bill makes it a crime to “recklessly disregard” the immigration status of someone you pay for services.

Immigration attorney Margarita Silva said it’s difficult for most people to know if someone’s in the country illegally.

“I can tell you, a good percentage of citizens out here — and even police officers — don’t know what a green card looks like,” said Silva.

The bill also makes it a crime to impede traffic to hire a day laborer, but Silva thinks that part of the bill is largely irrelevant.

“They usually pull into the parking lot to make their arrangement. I don’t see somebody pulling off at the bus lane at Thomas Road. So, because it requires the impeding of traffic, I just don’t see that one being enforced all that much,” said Silva.

Source: KPHO.com

An urgent plea for help in Arizona: Stop Criminalization of Our Communities!

Dear Friends,

We write with an urgent plea for your assistance. This week, the Arizona legislature passed the most anti-immigrant legislation the United States has seen in a generation. We are calling on all who have fought for immigration reform to assist our brothers and sisters in Arizona to turn the tide on hatred, bigotry, and scapegoating that threatens our community. In 2006, we marched by the millions in cities across the country to block a hateful bill that would criminalize immigrants and their supporters. The bill currently before the Governor in Arizona would make the nightmare of Sensenbrenner a reality. Indeed, the bill’s stated intent is to terrorize immigrant families into leaving the state. We must do everything we can to prevent this from happening.

TAKE ACTION! Click here!

Arizona’s SB 1070 would force police officers to arrest and detain people based on a “reasonable suspicion” that they are undocumented. It’s not surprising that news of this bill has shocked the nation. There is no such thing as looking American or undocumented, and mandating police officers to racially profile sets this country back to a shameful time in its history where racial segregation was the law of the land. The state of Arizona has become home to experimental laws that use immigration as an excuse to criminalize communities of color. We have all seen the devastation caused by Joe Arpaio and others like him. The result of this struggle in Arizona will set the tone for the national debate. We must prevail. The bill is an assault on this nation’s values. Everyone, including the President himself, acknowledges that this is a nation of immigrants: Undocumented immigrants are Americans in Waiting.

TAKE ACTION! Click here!

We must wait no longer. Please take action by going to www.AltoArizona.com to sign a petition urging the bill’s veto. When you sign the list, you will send a message that the nation is unifying in its condemnation of Arizona’s dangerous legislation. You will continue to receive updates on where we will take things, should the bill be signed into law. Please forward this email to 5 people asking them to do the same. We have all fought hard to earn equality for our friends, colleagues, neighbors, and family who currently live and work in the U.S regardless of immigration status. The time is now for full legalization, not criminalization enacted by racist local demagogues. The time is now for the country to come together to urge the federal government to stop immigrant bashing.

Together We Will, Turn the Tide.

Sincerely,

Pablo Alvarado,
Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

We are calling on arizona governor jan brewer to veto SB 1070.

Arizona is on the verge of enacting the most anti-immigrant legislation the country has seen in a generation. This is a bill which apparently mandates racial profiling. SB 1070 is quite literally intended to terrorize immigrant families.

We are hopeful Governor Brewer will consult with her legal counsel, issue a veto, and spare Arizona the expense of defending an unconstitutional, unwise, and odious bill in federal courts. But we will not rely solely on hope. We urge all opponents of this bill to TAKE ACTION and call, fax, and/or send an email to AZ Governor Brewer to let her know that we do not stand by a bill that threatens to terrorize, criminalize and profile non-white residents of Arizona.

Please forward the information on to your friends, family, co-workers and networks to speak up against SB 1070.

• Use your online networks, like email, IM, Blogs, Facebook and Twitter to spread the word online.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspapers about your opinion of Immigration Reform and SB 1070.
• Take action online and offline. Become an active participant in the movement!

Go to WWW.ALTOARIZONA.COM to tell Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to VETO SB 1070!

PHOENIX - Lawmakers Tuesday debated a bill that would make Arizona one of the toughest states for immigration enforcement. Outside, ranchers rallied for more border control but were drowned out by protesters voicing opposition to the tough new bill.

The Arizona House approved a bill that would draw local communities deeper into the fight against illegal immigration despite arguments from opponents that it would do nothing to keep people safer.

House Republicans advanced the measure on a 35-21 party-line vote. The Senate approved the bill in February but must concur to changes made in the House before sending it to Gov. Jan Brewer. Click to continue »

by E. J. Montini - Apr. 15, 2010 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Mom and dad (the federal government) left the kids (Arizona legislators) alone in the House (and Senate) and the children have run wild. And it’s beginning to look like the parents are NEVER coming back.

That’s how I described things to Chris Newman, legal director of the Los Angeles-based National Day Laborer Organizing Network, after the Arizona House approved an immigration bill that would ratchet up law enforcement, legal penalties and emotions to a level unseen anywhere in the United States.

Newman had released a statement saying: “Arizona is on the verge of enacting the most anti-immigrant legislation the country has seen in a generation. We are hopeful Governor Brewer will consult with her legal counsel, issue a veto, and spare Arizona the expense of defending an unconstitutional, unwise, and odious bill in federal courts. Arizona has long been a laboratory for anti-immigrant experimentation, and its demagogue leaders have become folk heroes for White supremacists throughout the United States, but this bill ushers in a new chapter of disgrace for the state that resisted celebrating the life of Martin Luther King.” Click to continue »

By MIRIAM JORDAN

Arizona lawmakers on Tuesday passed one of the toughest pieces of immigration-enforcement legislation in the country, which would make it a violation of state law to be in the U.S. without proper documentation.

It would also grant police the power to stop and verify the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being illegal.

The bill could still face a veto from Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. A spokesman for Ms. Brewer said she has not publicly commented on the bill. Ms. Brewer, a Republican, has argued for stringent immigration laws.

Under the measure, passed Tuesday by Arizona’s lower house, after being passed earlier by the state Senate, foreign nationals are required to carry proof of legal residency. Click to continue »

The most harsh rules in the US target workers without papers, which, opponents say, will lead to harassment

Ewen MacAskill, Washington, guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 14 April 2010 19.54 BST

A border patrol agent in the Arizona desert. The state has introduced tough new immigration laws to tackle illegal Latinos Photograph: George Steinmetz/Corbis

Pro-immigration groups across the US expressed despair today after Arizona passed the toughest bills in the country which they say are aimed at forcing out hundreds of thousands of Latinos living illegally in the state.

Arizona has long been a flashpoint in the debate over immigration, with tensions heightened by the murder last month of a popular rancher, Robert Krentz, in a remote spot used by groups smuggling people from Mexico to the US.

“The Mexico-Arizona border is out of control,” said the Arizona Cattlemen’s Association in a statement accompanying a report yesterday that claimed the impact of illegal immigration was so great the state could qualify for disaster relief.

The new bill, passed by the Arizona house of representatives last night, greatly expands the powers of the police in dealing with illegal immigration, including for the first time giving them the right to stop anyone on “reasonable suspicion” they may be an illegal immigrant and arrest them if they are not carrying identity papers.

All 35 Republicans in the Arizona house voted for the bill, while 21 Democrats voted against. Click to continue »

For Immediate Release / Excuse Cross Postings / Please Distribute

Contact: Marco Loera, 602-373-3859 and newman@ndlon.org

Date:  April 13, 2010

The following is a statement by Chris Newman, Legal Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network:

“Arizona is on the verge of enacting the most anti-immigrant legislation the country has seen in a generation.   We are hopeful Governor Brewer will consult with her legal counsel, issue a veto, and spare Arizona the expense of defending an unconstitutional, unwise, and odious bill in federal courts.   Arizona has long been a laboratory for anti-immigrant experimentation, and its demagogue leaders have become folk heros for white supremacists throughout the United States, but this bill ushers in a new chapter of disgrace for the state that resisted celebrating the life of Martin Luther King.”

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By Nicholas Riccardi, 2:49 p.m. - April 13, 2010
Reporting from Denver

“It’s beyond the pale,” said Chris Newman, legal director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. “It appears to mandate racial profiling.”

Arizona lawmakers on Tuesday approved what foes and supporters agree is the toughest measure in the country against undocumented immigrants, making it a crime to be an illegal immigrant in Arizona and allowing local police to determine whether people are in the country legally.

The measure, long sought by opponents of illegal immigration, passed in the state House of Representatives. The state Senate passed a similar measure earlier this year, and Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, who has not spoken publicly about the issue, is expected to sign the bill.

The bill’s author, State Sen. Russell Pearce, said the law simply “takes the handcuffs off of law enforcement and lets them do their job.”

But police were deeply divided on the matter, with police unions backing it but the state police chief’s association opposed the bill, contending it could erode trust with immigrants who could be potential witnesses. Click to continue »