Boston Councilors Take Aim At Arizona Immigration Law

By Ted Siefer
May 3, 2010, 6:21 PM
11 Comments

BOSTON — Boston City Council is stepping into the fray over the controversial new law in Arizona that requires police to question people if they have suspicions about their immigration status.

Councilors Michael Ross and Felix Arroyo plan to present a resolution Tuesday that would seek to identify and possibly sever any investments the city has with Arizona and Arizona-based companies.

Arroyo said it’s important to take a stand against the law, even if no financial ties are found.

“As a Latino myself, if I were in Arizona, based on the law they just passed, I could be stopped and asked to prove my citizenship,” he said. “I was born in the city of Boston. Does that mean I have to walk around with my birth certificate in my back pocket?”

The resolution would also ask city employees not to travel to Arizona for conferences or other city business.

The move follows similar measures against Arizona taken by city officials in Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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http://jacquelinechurch.com/ Jacqueline Church

Go Michael Go Felix – but really what is there in AZ to be invested in? Still worth making a stand.
Rich

Personally, I intend to boycott the boycotters. If you read the law, the state of Arizona’s law, in essence, says that they will enforce the Federal Immigration Law. If the Federal Government did that, the state wouldn’t have too. If Mass.or Boston decides to boycott, I’ll just do my shopping in New Hampshire.
Marc

Arizona’s law is not merely enforcing an existing law. It empowers authorities to stop anyone based on “probable cause” – which means it’s up to the cops to decide if you “look” illegal. Criminals will not be deterred. This is just another law that effects honest people. If companies stopped hiring illegals, there would be no jobs for illegals and then the only illegals really would be criminals. Come down on Tyson Foods and other giant companies that hire illegals instead of going after the workers.
Rich

@ Marc The fact that you talk about going after the companies and employers, which I agree with, tells me that you haven’t read the law. It does state what authority law enforcement has with regards to employers and what employers need to do to verify their employees. As far as “probable cause”, the police already have that authority and once they stop someone, they now can check to verify citizenship or immigration status.
Sasha from NH

Personally, I intend to boycott those boycotting the boycotters. 1. Arizona has no right to augment or enforce federal laws, 2. America is not a third rate European police state, so all big-government supporters of this law are invited to STAY OUT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Rich

@Sasha That’s a tough one for ya. You see, I’m actually a citizen of the United States. Unlike those illegal aliens in Arizona.
mak

ronald bola of 12764 newport ave #d tustin ca 92780 married and paid a US citizen to obtain a green card. he also used fake documents for a US tourist visa and work at power circuits in costa mesa ca. he is now a naturalized citizen.
socalrob

Immature boycotts and oppositions are like arrows hitting an armored vehicle, wont do much harm, the law SB1070 is approved at 70 percent by AMERICA, the sleeping giant, tons of proud non-illegal Americans prepare a summer vacation or other business with AZ. Also when illegals are gone, no more draining the state billions, eventually AZ will become a real nice clean and rich state while Mexifornia and other no-gutts states will decay more. Eventually boycotters themselves may want to secretely come to AZ, how embarassing… GO AZ, go SB1070!
jim

when will people learn the meaning of illegal.
i will be boycotting boston or any other place that boycotts the law.
James K Ligouri

I won’t be going to the Boston Ballet, Boston Theater, Boston sports events, Boston restaurants anymore. I will be happy and stay in New Hampshire. Hooray for the Arizona Immigration Law. Illegal means just that.
Jeanette in Atkinson NH

What part of ILLEGAL does Boston not get?! Anyone that supports an Illegal Act is Aiding & Abetting – they are law-breakers, too. HOORAY Arizona! Finally someone has taken a stand!!!