State Representative for District 16, Cloves Campbell, Jr., called SB1070, “a piece of garbage legislation” while giving further warning that the bill opens the gates to “racial profiling at the state’s worst level”.
PHOENIX-On Apr. 23, Arizona Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed a controversial immigration bill that has the whole country talking. Senate Bill 1070 is also known as “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act.”
A few far reaching key elements of the bill: gives local police responsibility to enforce federal immigration laws; grants law enforcement authority to stop a vehicle if they suspect illegal status; makes it a crime if proper documentation is not produced; and law enforcement must enforce the law or face $500 to $5,000 fines if not applied to the fullest extent.
Members of ethnic media and immigrant rights groups gathered in Phoenix on May 6 to talk about the ill-conceived SB1070 and to begin to work together to get facts to our readership. The group was organized by Sandy Close, Executive Director of New America Media.
It was purposefully a big and diverse crowd including representatives from the Muslim Voice, Native Scene, Asian American Times, Univision, talk radio, and others. This type of gathering was unprecedented in Phoenix.
Arizona State Rep. Cloves Campbell, Jr., Dem. representing South Phoenix said “This [SB 1070] is a horrible piece of legislation. It is a racist piece of legislation specifically aimed at the Mexican population coming to Arizona from Mexico.”
During commentary, it was brought out that undocumented people are not only Hispanic, but that the largest segment of undocumented people in the US, approximately 1.5 million, originated from Asian countries. They are Korean, Indian, African, et cetera.
Campbell is Co-Publisher of the Arizona Informant News, est. 1971, a weekly newspaper giving attention to issues affecting the black community.
Campbell postulated that this legislation is the end of the tsunami of racist legislation to ban ethnic studies, affirmative action, and part of the birther deal. “Where Arizona said the Secretary of State can take your birth certificate on their own. Well, I don’t like it,” Campbell said.
The sponsor of SB1070 is Sen. Russell Pearce, Rep. representing the City of Mesa, whose Senate biography page states “I was chief deputy for 23 years with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office . . . and was responsible for many innovations including Tent City.”
Campbell also said the SB1070 legislation was pushed by a lone Hispanic, Steve Montenegro.
Facts show that Montenegro is 27-year old Republican representing Litchfield Park who is a minister with the Surprise Apostolic Assembly Church whose large parishioner population is Mexican and Mexican-American.
Ironically, it is also reported that the Montenegro family emigrated from El Salvador to the US and was granted religious asylum. Rep. Montenegro and his parents were assisted by the Apostolic Assembly during their citizenship process.
Jan Allen, Executive Director, Border Action Network, who works directly with immigrant and border communities in southern Arizona said “Arizona is ground zero for not being effective in enforcement of 286G [US Code dealing with jurisdiction and venues of action]. And that, “Arizona has the greatest concentration of drugs crossing the border, dying agents, border walls that are now being doubled, and it is in that context that Pearce or Montenegro can push and ride.”
Allen further said, “SB1070 and 2162 is a compilation of 6 or 7 bills that have tried to move for several years, but have been defeated. Pearce sneaked [1070] through the back door. There was tremendous coalition opposing it by police associations, faith leaders, and the business community. There has been deep broad level opposition throughout the process.”
Allen said, “There are 16 Republicans absolutely opposed to the bill, and that the sponsor used strong arm tactics. The Governor was looking for votes.”
The Cities of Flagstaff and Tucson filed suit challenging the constitutionality of SB1070. Other faith-based organizations are close behind. Experts say the bill is dead on arrival.
Tucson and Phoenix police associations oppose the bill. As written, SB1070 poses inherent enforcement problems.
As it relates to tribes, under SB1070, conceptually a member of a native nation could be stopped if law enforcement “suspects” vehicle occupants to be illegal. The new vernacular has been coined “guilty of driving while brown.”
Members of tribal nations are not immigrants by far, yet members could potentially become victims of subjective seizures by law enforcement. Not having proper identification is an administrative matter not an issue of criminality.
The Navajo Nation Police Chief, Captain Bob Etsitty said in a May 4 press release, “The new Arizona immigration law has no affect on the Navajo Nation.” And, “[Our] job is to enforce Navajo law, not Arizona law.”
GRIC Enrollment sources say of the 22 Arizona tribes, the Navajo Nation is the sole tribe who does not issue identification cards.
In an editorial to the Gila River Indian News, Vol. 12, No. 11, p.3, Elaine Newmoon, D4, a self-described elder and nondrinker and the subject of an unwarranted pre-dawn stop by a Caucasian officer “. . .. Just before entering the rez on Arizona Avenue,” warns “Keep your cars clean, tags clean, and do not use Arizona Avenue at night. Try to stay on the rez. Run Indians, run. They are coming after you.”
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