The U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, delivered its decision on Arizona’s infamous anti-immigrant law, SB 1070. The Court clearly rejected the overreach in Arizona as unconstitutional, but disappointingly, the conservative justices failed to stop the current civil rights crisis and did not protect the constitutional rights of Arizona’s families by leaving in place the most dangerous provision, the 2b “racial profiling” provision.
Republican state legislators across the country have said that they would let the outcome of this decision influence their agenda for the upcoming legislative term. But our political representatives in Wisconsin would be wise to oppose profiling and learn from the lessons of Arizona and Alabama, where laws like SB 1070 have divided communities, subjected residents to suspicion because of the color of their skin, and threatened their economic recovery. The path of Arizona and Alabama is unconstitutional and contrary to deeply-rooted American values.
Rather than creating policies to fix the tough problems facing working families, congressional Republicans have blocked comprehensive immigration reform at every turn. It’s time for Congress to put politics aside and get to work to pass necessary legislation that offers a path to citizenship. Working families need a common-sense immigration system that protects the rights of all workers and their families. Just as Wisconsin right-wing lawmakers have torn our communities apart, Arizona’s law and the Supreme Court ruling divides our nation.
The people of Wisconsin have witnessed enough ‘divide and conquer’ politics. Working people in Wisconsin are committed to equality and rebuilding our economy together. Our political representatives here in Wisconsin and nationally should do the same. Whether at the ballot box, the bargaining table, or within the workplace, we will continue our fight to ensure fairness, economic opportunity and a voice for all working families.
Recent Comments