Board OKs boycott
Troy Anderson and Connie Llanos, Staff Writers
Created: 06/01/2010 10:04:13 PM PDT
Two Los Angeles governing boards Tuesday joined a list of cities, counties and community groups that have slammed Arizona’s tough new immigration law.
In a split vote along party lines, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed to suspend all travel to Arizona for county business unless the travel is considered imperative; ban county investments in Arizona securities; and review all contracts with Arizona-based companies and report on how those contracts can be terminated.
The county does some $27 million in business with Arizona, but it wasn’t clear how much would be affected.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Unified school board unanimously adopted a resolution that condemns the Arizona law and asks district officials to look at ways of eliminating or reducing business ventures with the state.
Calling the law a blatant civil-rights violation, the district’s resolution asks that it also be discussed with students in civics and history classes “in the context of unity, diversity and equal protection for all.”
Although the school district’s resolution could lead to a boycott, the supervisors’ boycott will have a more immediate effect on Arizona business.
“I want to send a very strong message to Arizona,” Board Chairwoman Gloria Molina said. “Right now, Los Angeles County is spending $27 million a year on professional services, vendors and goods purchased from Arizona. It’s a sizable amount of money, and we’re joining with
other jurisdictions that are part of this economic boycott in taking a strong stand.
“I also think it’s important to send a message to Washington, D.C., that they must undertake immigration reform.”
Molina, Zev Yaroslavsky and Mark Ridley-Thomas – all Democrats – voted for the boycott. Supervisors Michael Antonovich and Don Knabe – both Republicans – voted against the boycott.
The supervisors’ vote came after several hours of passionate testimony from both sides of the issue.
Among those in attendance were relatives of Jamiel Shaw II, a high school football star who was shot to death in Arlington Heights in 2008. Pedro Espinoza, an illegal immigrant and alleged gang member, has been charged with the killing and is awaiting trial.
Jamiel Shaw, the teen’s father, asked the supervisors why they aren’t boycotting “murder and illegal aliens coming into our country and killing our kids.
“My son is dead, and it’s because of the policies of sanctuary cities like Los Angeles that don’t care about how an average Joe Blow walks from his bus stop to his house and gets shot dead. You are strictly for illegal aliens. We need people to stand up for America.”
Shaw later grew so emotional that he had to leave the board room.
In addition to the boycott measures, the motion by Molina and Yaroslavsky asks CEO Bill Fujioka to send a letter to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and key state and congressional leaders calling for the indefinite suspension or immediate repeal of the law, known as Senate Bill 1070.
The law, which has not yet gone into effect, gives law enforcement officers in Arizona the power to check the immigration status of suspects they have stopped for other reasons if there is a reasonable suspicion they are in the country illegally. The law bars racial profiling.
But the motion by Molina and Yaroslavsky argues the law violates core American civil rights and liberties by “singling out identifiable groups of people for harassment, intimidation and potential arrest solely on the basis of the color of their skin, race, ethnicity, speech or cultural attributes.”
In the motion, the supervisors wrote law enforcement officials in Arizona and elsewhere believe the law will cause widespread racial profiling and will subject many
“foreign-looking” people and minorities – including U.S. citizens, legal residents, visiting business people and tourists – to unlawful interrogations, searches, seizures and arrests.
Antonovich said “legal immigration is the lifeblood of our nation” and the boycott will only hurt the county financially at a time when it is facing dramatic budget cuts.
Antonovich also said Arizona’s law simply follows federal laws and that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled several years ago that asking about someone’s immigration status does not violate the Fourth Amendment.
“Arizona is faced with a terrible criminal issue,” Antonovich said.
“Arizona is now the kidnapping capital of the U.S. and has the second largest kidnapping problem in the world.”
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I hope that every American, regardless of where he lives, will stop and examine his conscience about this and other related incidents. This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened. All of us ought to have the right to be treated as he would wish to be treated, as one would wish his children to be treated, but this is not the case.
I know the proponents of this law say that the majority approves of this law, but the majority is not always right. Would women or non-whites have the vote if we listen to the majority of the day, would the non-whites have equal rights (and equal access to churches, housing, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, schools, colleges and yes water fountains) if we listen to the majority of the day? We all know the answer, a resounding, NO!
Today we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be free. In a time of domestic crisis men of good will and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics and do what is right, not what is just popular with the majority. Some men comprehend discrimination by never have experiencing it in their lives, but the majority will only understand after it happens to them.
Hey Benito, what part of illegal don’t you understand? What part of simply restating the federal law don’t you get? Your papers? That is simply your CDL. Where do you get off saying that America was founded for people to flee domestic tyranny only to commit an illegal act? My ancestors came through Ellis Island legally. They were afforded no social benefits from anchor babies, they were not offered food stamps, nor did they come here and refuse to assimilate and love this country. They never sent money home via Western Union.
I wholeheartedly support the right of foreign nationals to legally join in the wonders of this great land. I also wish the government would reexamine the current mechanisms that facilitate the American Dream becoming a reality. But the peons on the LA County and City boards care only about the appearance of tolerance as they pander to an electorate to stupid to notice their shenanigans.
“All Men are created equal”! The founders had it right, when attempting to form a perfect union and they also knew that they were not there yet but knew we one day would get there. Lincoln moved us forward as did JFK and LBJ. This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.
It is my contention that this AZ law is not constitutional and will fail when challenged (unless, of course, they keep adding more amendments), pretty funny for this so called perfect law, that many internet blogs claim it was copied “Word for Word” from the Federal law, which I frankly do not believe, if it was then no amendments would have been made, right?, of course.
As for the undocumented workers, as was attributed to Ronald Reagan “It’s the Economy, Stupid”. When the economy is good we say let’s all celebrate “Cinco de Mayo, my brothers” but when the economy is down “it’s all your fault, you damn immigrant”. This too will pass. The real problem is the narcos, arms and people smuggler that’s what the focus should be on.
Don’t you find it funny that no one ever voted for Brewer for Governor, it’s all about politics and getting elected, do not be fooled. Busy Brewer has passed S.B. 1070, no permit conceal weapons law, the famous Birthers law, banning Ethic studies law, (could she be behind the Mural in Prescott, Arizona) and if history is a lesson she should look up Arizona’s House Bill 2779 from two years ago (which failed when legally challenged) and the craziest one the boycotted Martin Luther King Day, not wanting another holiday, how crazy is that. I believe there is an undercurrent to their enactment of new laws, they real love following a distinct pattern. Poor Brewer, last week, she first she said her Dad had died in Germany fighting the Nazi in World War II (war ended 1945) and we find out her father was never in Germany and died in California in 1955 (watch the spin doctors go into overdrive) and then she went to Washington and came back empty as always, poor dear.
Benito, lets put your law degree to work. Discuss the unconstitutionality of the first two parts of the Arizona law (cited below):
A. NO OFFICIAL OR AGENCY OF THIS STATE OR A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE MAY ADOPT A POLICY THAT LIMITS OR RESTRICTS THE ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS TO LESS THAN THE FULL EXTENT PERMITTED BY FEDERAL LAW.
B. FOR ANY LAWFUL CONTACT MADE BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR AGENCY OF THIS STATE OR A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE WHERE REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES, A REASONABLE ATTEMPT SHALL BE MADE, WHEN PRACTICABLE, TO DETERMINE THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PERSON. THE PERSON’S IMMIGRATION STATUS SHALL BE VERIFIED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PURSUANT TO 8 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 1373(c).
Or better yet, maybe you should cite the section that is unconstitutional and we can start from there!
Double ditto what Unwilling says.
Now Benito maybe you can take some of your illegal friends down into that beautiful Arizona desert and help pick up a few hundreds tons of that trash those illegals have left behind.
Then those illegals can go wait in line like many of those other immigrants did back in the 20′s,30′s when they came over on the boats from Europe and other countries.
Any many others who have paid their dues in accordance to our laws and waited to get the citizenship.
NO FREE PASS for anyone entering this country.