Arizona's new immigration law causes uproar
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Several Houston groups teamed up Sunday up to protest Arizona’s controversial immigration bill.
A coalition of immigrant rights organizations is calling for a boycott of the state, saying the new Arizona bill gives authorities a license to discriminate against Latinos.
• For the full text of the Arizona Senate bill, click the link.
• To read more about how the bill is affecting people nationally, read this article from The Washington Post.
The law allows police to check the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being undocumented.
The text of the law states:
"For any lawful contact made by a law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the united states, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person. The person's immigration status shall be verified with the federal government pursuant to 8 united states code section 1373(c)."
Critics say this law gives authorities a license to racially profile and discriminate, a sentiment shared by many across the nation and in Houston.
"How in the hell can a police officer look at someone and tell if they’re here illegally?" Coalition to Defend Civil Rights spokesperson Shelby Steward said.
Mexico's government issued a warning to its citizens about travel to Arizona because of a tough new immigration law.
The travel alert from the Foreign Relations Department urges Mexicans in Arizona to "act with prudence and respect the framework of local laws."
It says that the law's passage shows "an adverse political atmosphere for migrant communities and for all Mexican visitors."
It says that once the law takes effect, foreigners can be detained if they fail to carry immigration documents. While enforcement details are not yet clear, the alert says "it should be assumed that any Mexican citizen could be bothered and questioned for no other reason at any moment."
The immigration bill was just signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Friday.
Some prominent politicians in Washington and Arizona have criticized the bill.
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said he plans to file a lawsuit to block the law.
Other Arizona politicians say they feel a boycott of their state could affect tourism and business.
The law goes into effect 90 days after the legislative session.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON -- Sen. John McCain says Arizona had to pass a tough immigration law because the Obama administration has failed to “secure our borders.”
The Arizona Republican called the situation in his state “the worst I've ever seen,” saying ineffective border enforcement has resulted in drugs pouring into the southwestern United States from Mexico.
McCain told CBS's “The Early Show” that over a million pounds of marijuana were intercepted on the border at Tucson just in the last year. He said he's talked to law enforcement officials and believes the new law can be implemented “without racial profiling.”
Under the law set to take effect in late July or August, it would be a crime to be in the United States illegally.