The Latino Action Network [LAN] today endorsed a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department earlier this week seeking to overturn an Arizona law that would allow police to question individuals suspected of being undocumented immigrants.
For Immediate Release: July 9, 2010
Frank Argote-Freyre, President – 908-670-0552
Emiliano Lemos, Chair of Immigration Committee – 973-518-8707
The Latino Action Network [LAN] today endorsed a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department earlier this week seeking to overturn an Arizona law that would allow police to question individuals suspected of being undocumented immigrants.
The LAN and other civil rights groups argue that the law will lead to racial profiling of Latinos. The Arizona law also undermines federal control over immigration enforcement.
“The answer to the riddle of the broken immigration system is not to pass laws that undermine the civil rights of us all,” said Frank Argote-Freyre, President of the Latino Action Network. “The solution lies with Congress which for years has failed to find the political courage to address this contentious issue.”
Emiliano Lemos, chair of the Immigration Committee, said: “Arizona passed a law that usurps federal authority over immigration. It opens the door for every state to adopt its own laws. These state laws, as is the case in Arizona, could lead to racial profiling of Latinos and other racial and ethnic groups. The Arizona law is bad public policy and we commend Attorney General Eric Holder for challenging it.”
The Network supports federal legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for the estimated 10 to 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, a federal worker exchange program and an economic investment fund for Latin America.
The LAN was founded in 2009 as a vehicle to mobilize the Latino community to seek greater social and economic justice.
