COLORADO - Today, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law SB 1070, which requires police officers arrest anyone who cannot immediately prove their legal status. The new law makes it a state misdemeanor to be undocumented. It has been widely panned by law experts as unconstitutional on the grounds that it usurps federal authority and would legislate racial profiling. Julien Ross, Executive Director of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, issued the following statement:
"What happened today in Arizona is a national tragedy and embarrassment. This law turns Arizona into a police state and brings a reign of terror on immigrant and Latino communities. That is why anyone with common decency and sense are opposed to this law. It is draconian in scope and most likely unconstitutional.
"This law requires police verify the immigration status of anyone they have reasonable suspicion is undocumented and arrest anyone who can't immediately prove their status. Yet there are no outwardly distinguishable differences between an undocumented immigrant and a citizen, requiring police use racial profiling to draw their conclusions. No one in America should fear harassment and arrest by police simply because of the way they look.
"The direction that Arizona took today demonstrates as never before the urgency for comprehensive immigration reform and the direction our nation is headed if we do not pass something soon. In a citizen ceremony this afternoon, President Obama made the statement that, 'If we continue to fail to act at a federal level, we will continue to see misguided efforts opening up around the country.' CIRC could not agree more.
"President Obama must take immediate and aggressive action to stop other states from following Arizona's misguided path. We need him to demonstrate stronger leadership in moving comprehensive immigration reform legislation now and in rectifying this federal failure."
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