"Together we will turn the tide": Organizing in the wake of Arizona's anti-immigration law.

Last week's passage of Arizona's SB 1070, the sweeping anti-immigrant legislation that mandates racial profiling and encourages the terrorization of people who "look undocumented," has galvanized people across the U.S. to join together in solidarity with the people of Arizona who repudiate the hate and racism manifested in this law, and the political cowardice that allowed for its passage. 

Arizona groups are organizing full-on to resist the law and challenge the legislation, and there are ways that you can help.

• Visit the ¡Alto Arizona! Website, the home base for groups working together to organize against SB 1070.   You'll find...
•  a popular education version of the bill, lots of articles, resources, and ways to take action.
• a link to an online petition to President Obama, asking him to protect the people of Arizona by denouncing this law in three specific ways.  
• You can also learn how you can help by volunteering in Arizona and by donating to support the work on Arizona's ground.

• Go to the rally in support of immigrants' rights in Louisville on Saturday, sponsored by the The Kentucky May Day Coalition, a Louisville organization of labor unions, religious groups, civil rights and immigrant rights organizations and individuals.  Saturday, May 1, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at all intersections leading to Churchill Downs. Meet at the corner of 3rd St. and Central Ave. at 10 a.m. to get flyers and instructions, and

  contact [email protected] or (502) 896 9171 for more information.

• Support the Kentucky Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (KCIRR), a grassroots organization that works for immigrants' rights here in Kentucky.  KCIRR recently released a statement repudiating the Arizona law, and is developing a strategy to organize for immigration reform and justice in Kentucky.  KCIRR's condemnation of the anti-immigration bill is below.

Last Friday, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law SB 1070, which requires police officers to inquire into and investigate the immigration status of anyone with whom they have any "lawful contact." "Lawful contact" is not limited to those being arrested for other, unrelated crimes. Victims of crimes and witnesses to crimes will also be in "lawful contact" with police officers, and will be required to carry proof of their lawful status at all times or risk arrest and criminal prosecution. Those who cannot confirm that they are legally present in the United States will be arrested, prosecuted for misdemeanor trespassing, and turned over to immigration enforcement officers. Anyone who provides transportation to, conceals, harbors, or otherwise shields an undocumented person can be prosecuted as well.

This new law has been widely panned by legal experts as unconstitutional on the grounds that it usurps federal authority and would mandate racial profiling.

The Kentucky Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (KCIRR) condemns the passage and signing of this law in Arizona. What is happening in Arizona is an embarrassment to a nation that respects equality under the law and the rights of all people. No one in America should fear harassment and arrest by police simply because of the way they look, and nations around the globe are watching us in disbelief. The law mandates that police verify the immigration status of anyone they have "reasonable suspicion" is undocumented and arrest people who aren't carrying their immigration paperwork. But how is a police officer on the streets of Phoenix, untrained in immigration law, supposed to distinguish between an undocumented immigrant and a US citizen? Supporters of the new law have indicated that police officers will be able to tell simply by "the clothes that the individual wears."

Arizona's population is over 25% Hispanic/Latino and 5% Native American. This law, if put into effect, will unleash a public safety catastrophe, disabling law enforcement from pursuing real criminals while sending crime victims and witnesses into hiding. It authorizes and encourages widespread racial profiling, and further destroys the fragile ties that bind a community together. The individual rights of all Arizonans will be subject to abuse and denial.

Arizona's dangerous embrace of a future as a police state clearly demonstrates the urgent need for real, humane comprehensive immigration reform. We wholeheartedly agree with President Obama's statement at a citizenship ceremony last week when he said, "If we continue to fail to act at a federal level, we will continue to see misguided efforts opening up around the country.â€ But talk is not enough. President Obama and the United States Congress must take immediate and aggressive action to stop other states from following Arizona' misguided path, and demonstrate stronger leadership in passing comprehensive immigration reform legislation now.

There will be more information and opportunities from KCIRR in the coming days and weeks.  Stay tuned, and in the meantime, take action to help turn the tide!