As soon as Arizona enacted the toughest anti-immigration law in the country last week, advocates on both sides voiced hope that the new law would move the topic to the center of national debate.
They got their wish.
The national reaction to the bill was instantaneous and loud and has continued this week, taking top billing on cable talk shows, local news programs and everything between.
To supporters, it’s about time someone took an actual step to curb the flow of illegal immigrants that tax southwestern economies and state services, as well as the horrifying drug trafficking and violence that has cost the lives of thousands of Mexicans and Americans along the border.
For opponents of the bill, it is a draconian and racist measure that will lead to roundups and profiling of Latinos.
As protesters swarmed the Arizona state capital over the weekend, national figures plotted their strategy to deal with the law that may already be providing inspiration for other communities.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano –who herself punted on immigration as governor of Arizona – called the new law “misguided” during an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
“That one is a misguided law,” she said. “It's not a good law enforcement law. It's not a good law in any number of reasons. But beyond that, what it illustrates is that other states now will feel compelled to do things. And you will have this patchwork of laws where we need a federal immigration system that meets our security needs, that recognizes where we need to go in this 21st century and gives us a better framework on which to stand.”
Napolitano’s comments echoed President Barack Obama’s in his criticism of the bill prior to its signing on Friday.
But that language hasn’t been enough for Democratic Hispanic leaders, who blame the federal government’s inaction for fostering the environment that led to the bill.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) urged the president during a rally on Sunday to fight the “unjust and racist law.”
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) meanwhile made clear to Obama that after supporting his candidacy during the presidential campaign, Hispanics need him to step up on immigration reform.
“Our message today is: ‘Mr. President we listened, and we came out in record massive numbers to support you,’” Gutierrez said Sunday. “We need you to support us today.”
The red hot debate has even prompted another Democratic candidate, civil rights advocate Randy Parraz, to join the Senate race.
A spokeswoman for Parraz, who will compete with Tucson City Councilman Rodney Glassman for the nomination, said the law was the catalyst for him to enter the race. “For many of us, our spirit has become broken. People don't have the will to take the lead and challenge these folks, so we're relying on Randy to do it,” said spokeswoman Cristina Martinez.
Liberals outside of the Hispanic community are also pushing for national action.
The Rev. Al Sharpton said Sunday that he is organizing a “freedom walkers” march on Arizona, taking a page from the playbook of civil rights protestors in the 1960s.
“We will go to Arizona when this bill goes into effect and walk the streets with people who refuse to give identification and force arrest,” Sharpton said during a speech in New York.
Sharpton said Monday on MSNBC that the state’s new approach immigration enforcement comes down to racial profiling.
“Let’s face it, when they are saying there's enormous amount of people coming across the border from Mexico, they are saying, therefore, we're going to stop people who look like Mexicans to check their identification, which is to profile people based on race,” Sharpton said, appearing alongside Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a supporter of the law. “We cannot have laws based on race.”
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