Thousands Rally against Arizona Immigration Law

Post at CBSNEWS.COM

A new law in Arizona will soon require police officers to check the immigration status of anyone suspected of being an undocumented immigrant. John Blackstone reports on this tough new law.

Protesters rally at the Arizona Capitol on Sunday, April, 25, 2010. Thousands called on President Barack Obama to fight a new Arizona law targeting illegal immigrants that critics say sanctions racial profiling.

Civil rights activists called on President Barack Obama to fight a tough new Arizona law targeting illegal immigrants Sunday, promising to march in the streets and invite arrest by refusing to comply if the measure goes into effect.

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona told about 3,500 protesters gathered at the state Capitol that the Obama administration can help defeat the law by refusing to cooperate when illegal immigrants are picked up by local police and turned over to federal immigration officers.

It is my expectation that the recent uproar from the Racist, Hateful right, to vanquish these "Evil Illegal Immigrants" will cause the President to bring the Immigration issue to the front burner...'bout time too. Remember when they say 10 or 15 million immigrants, one third of that number is children, so this issue should be dealt with quickly as the kids need legality to get College Financing, Healthcare etc.

"We're going to overturn this unjust and racist law, and then we're going to overturn the power structure that created this unjust, racist law," said Grijalva, a Democrat.

Obama has called the new law "misguided" and instructed the Justice Department to examine it to see if it's legal. It requires police to question people about their immigration status - including asking for identification - if they suspect someone is in the country illegally. Opponents say it would undoubtedly lead to racial profiling, because officers would be more likely to ask people who look Hispanic.

Discomfort over the law was also expressed as well at some Sunday religious services.

"I'm not in the place to where I would root out those who are in the country without documentation and hand that over to the authorities," said Rev. John Flowers, co-pastor of First United Methodist Church.

A controversial sheriff well known for his tough policies says the new law is exactly what's needed, and he is prepared to act, reports CBS News correspondent John Blackstone.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio says his department has arrested some 38,000 illegal immigrants in the past three years and the new law will give him the tools to step up his efforts to combat the flood coming across Arizona's border with Mexico.

"I will arrest the people that are here under that new misdemeanor law and book them into our jails," Arpaio said.

But Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon says many supporters of the law are not just misguided, they are racist.

"It's just morally wrong," he told Blackstone. "This country is not about having people wear arm bands with Jewish stars or in this case Hispanic brown symbols," Gordon said. He also called the law "clearly unconstitutional."

Supporters have dismissed concerns of racial profiling, saying the law prohibits the use of race or nationality as the sole basis for an immigration check. Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed the bill into law Friday, has ordered state officials to develop a training course for officers to learn what constitutes reasonable suspicion someone is in the U.S. illegally.

Current law in Arizona and most states doesn't require police to ask about the immigration status of those they encounter, and many police departments prohibit officers from inquiring out of fear immigrants won't cooperate in other investigations.

The new law makes it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. Immigrants unable to produce documents showing they are allowed to be in the U.S. could be arrested, jailed for up to six months and fined $2,500. It also allows lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of immigration laws.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/25/national/main6431657.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

There have been many people who are planning to go to Arizona to protest and cause disruption if the law is not changed or repealed, including Reverand Al Sharpton who is already putting plans in place and drum up outrage for the new law.

When they say 10 to 15 million Immigrants, one third of that number is children, who need legality to get College Financing, Healthcare etc, so it is good that we are seeing a move to address the issue sooner rather than later.