National Day of Action against Arizona's new migration laws

On May 29, the eyes of the world will be on Arizona when tens of thousands of members of Arizona's communities, including Indigenous people, day laborers, unions, people of color, women, LGBTQ people, workers, youth, students and supporters from across the country, will converge on Phoenix for the National Day of Action against SB1070.  SB1070 is the new Arizona anti-immigrant, racial profiling state law that allows police to question anyone about their immigration status, jail them and turn them over to ICE for deportation.

The National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and its members will be present in Arizona and in solidarity actions around the country on May 29 as we stand with the people of Arizona in the fight to restore rights and to rollback the hate.

On May 29 and beyond, the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR) calls on people from all walks of life to demand an end to SB1070 and all federal immigration-police collaboration. This is an important national moment to commit to ending all forms of racial discrimination and intolerance. We are heartened to see how so many different groups and sectors have rallied to oppose SB1070.

This broad support will very much be needed to push back against the continued expansion of federal immigration-police collaboration programs that enable state laws like SB1070 and other immigration and border enforcement measures that further endanger lives, perpetuate abuse and hate, undermining the health of communities.

Leading up to May 29 in Arizona the National Day Laborer Organizing Network with the Puente Movement are preparing a national boycott of Arizona, targeting companies and products whose owners have contributed funds that have allowed anti-immigrant laws and policies to flourish. NDLON and Puente are also planning to launch a defiance campaign against SB1070 scheduled to be implemented later in July.

The Coalición de Derechos Humanos (DH) working with border and non-border communities will begin their fifth annual "Migrant Trail March"  -- a 75-mile journey from Sásabe, Sonora to Tucson, Arizona to express solidarity with the migrant women, children, elders and men who have walked this trail and lost their lives. DH's work against the U.S. militarization of immigration control and border communities is a deep call for linking communities across the country to demilitarize the border and uphold the right to life, liberty and wellbeing of all persons.

Beyond May 29, NNIRR will continue to urge that the Obama Administration:

• Take all necessary steps to stop the implementation of SB1070. Obama must speak out against the climate of hate and investigate and punish Arizona state, county and local officials who are violating the civil rights of entire communities;
• Roll-back and end the 287(g), Secure Communities programs and all forms of federal immigration-police collaboration programs.
• Suspend all detentions and deportations and investigate the abuses being committed against immigrants at the border and in interior.
• Demilitarize immigration control and border communities and stop the deployment of National Guard troops. Instead, issue sufficient visas and options for families to reunite and live, work, worship, study and play with their rights protected. The federal government must invest in creating sustainable communities and promote fair trade economic policies that will provide stability and development;
• See in earnest socially just immigration reforms that provide full legalization based on upholding the civil and labor rights of all persons.