Protests Against Arizona Immigration Law Scheduled for Tomorrow
The Los Angeles Times reported today that immigration activists in numerous cities across the country have planned to protest the implementation of the Arizona immigration law (S.B. 1070) that is scheduled to be in effect tomorrow.
Some of the protests include a march across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, a vigil outside a detention center in Georgia, a unity event in Chicago featuring faith, community and political leaders, and, more than 500 labor union members and activists from Los Angeles who are going by a bus caravan to Phoenix to stage a protest and partner up with Arizona labor groups.
The Arizona immigration law was signed into law in April. The law requires law enforcement while enforcing another law such as a traffic or moving violation, to question the immigration status of anyone who is reasonably suspected of being unlawfully present in the U.S. and, arresting such individuals who cannot produce evidence of valid immigration status.
The Obama administration filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of S.B. 1070 and argued in court recently that the federal government is the only entity that can implement and enforce the immigration laws. Arizona’s argument is that the federal government has failed in enforcing the immigration laws and the state must step in and pick up where the federal government has failed.
At this point the federal judge who is hearing the case has not yet ruled whether the federal government’s petition for an injunction against the law’s implementation would be granted. In the meantime, Arizona law enforcement officers are anticipating making numerous arrests tomorrow.
