New York Immigrants Protest New Arizona Immigration Law

28 April 2010

A Customs and Border Patrol agent patrols along the international border in Nogales, Arizona, 22 Apr 2010

Immigration-rights activists in New York demonstrated Tuesday against a new law passed in the southwestern state of Arizona. They said it will encourage racial profiling and break up families by permitting the indefinite detention of suspected undocumented immigrants. And the protestors said it will harm communities by making undocumented immigrants fearful of co-operating with police investigating crimes.

Immigration activists held a lunch-time rally to protest Arizona's new law that is aimed at deporting illegal immigrants. They said it would encourage racial profiling by allowing local police to demand to see the immigration papers of anyone whom they suspect of being an undocumented immigrant.

"We are here to denounce the racist and discriminatory law that was passed in Arizona," said protester Sandy Placido.

The demonstrators also announced a Freedom of Information lawsuit to force disclosure of the extent of a program called Secure Communities, which partners local police with immigration enforcement in the Department of Homeland Security.

"We see the collusion between local police and the Department of Homeland Security, and the devastating effect on our families. So what is happening in Arizona is not simply a unique situation. It is just an extension and an outgrowth of a very dangerous trend that we have seen in our country over the last few years," said Angela Fernandez, executive director of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights.