In the News

By Georgia Pabst 

 

The U. S. Supreme Court's ruling on Arizon's SB 1070 striking down parts of the state's immigration law, but keepng  the most controversial "show me your papers" provision drew a  lot of local reaction Monday.

 

"The court basically said Arizona went too far when it created its own rules around immigration," said Chris Ahmuty, executive director of the Wisconsin ACLU.

 

But he and others expressed concern about the "show me your papers" provision.

 

At a press conference at Voces de la Frontera, Ahmuty and other worried that the new law will encourage racial profiling.

 

It does say police can stop if there's reasonable suspicion that a person is undocumented, but many with an accent, or dark skin who look Latino might be stopped, said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, the director of Voces.

 

Said Pastor Walter Baires, of Ascension Lutheran Church, "The faith community is concerned that families won't be safe and call police."

 

LULAC state director Jaime Alvarado said: "I have optimism because the court did leave open for the fourth Arizaona (upheld) provision, which has racial undertones, to be constitutionally challenged in the lower courts after the law goes into effect."

 

But State Rep. Don Pridemore (R-Hartford), who introduced a so called "Arizona light" bill last year, said he was disappointed with the high court's ruling. He called it a loss for states' rights.

 

The Pridemore bill never had a hearing. Pridemore said that was because of the budget repair bill, the recalls. "We decided we didn't want to embroil ourselves in another controversial issue, so I didn't push it," he said.

 

U. S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) said as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, "I am particularly concerned with this provision because it could make it more difficult for immigrant women, children and other victims to come forward when they are in serious danger."

 

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