Austin City Council boycotts employee travel to Arizona
Photo courtesy Stock Photos.
Austin City Council passed a measure Thursday, boycotting city employee travel to Arizona. The action was taken in response to the state's new immigration law.
The law requires law enforcement to determine the immigration status of anyone they have reason to believe may be in the country illegally.
Council members who supported the resolution say the law could lead to significant racial profiling.
City leaders say they want to make sure city employees aren't unfairly detained, while on official business.
"Arizona's new immigration law puts anyone traveling to the state in jeopardy of being detained, based on a law enforcement officer's 'reasonable suspicion' that that person might be an undocumented immigrant," Council Member Bill Spelman said. "That's wrong, and I can't responsibly allow our city employees to be placed at such a risk."
Other cities, including Los Angeles, have taken similar steps to protest the law.