Arizona Immigration Law Immoral

Friends   I am glad to see a response arising.  Below is the AFSC press release in response to the signing of the AZ bill on Friday.  It includes a brief summary of the components of immigration reform that we feel are needed.  You can find more information in our New Path document.  Unfortunately today seems to be the day they are shifting to a new web system so our web resources are limping.  Hopefully the immigration pages will be top priority.   There are Friends in NH, Western Mass and South East New England who have been working on these issues for some time.  Please feel free to call on us.  Thanks  Martha Yager  AFSC-SENE 

For Immediate Release 
Contact: Christian Ramirez                                                                                       
Office: 619-233-4114                                                                                         
Cell: 619-885-1289                                                                

ARIZONA IMMIGRATION LAW IMMORAL

Quaker Group Warns Raids, Police Stops Violate Human and Civil Rights

PHILADELPHIA (April 23, 2010) – The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker peace and social justice organization, joins hundreds of individuals and organizations in condemning the new Arizona law that further criminalizes immigrants, adds more burdens on local police, and erodes the civil rights of all in Arizona.  

“I am discouraged that Gov. Brewer has ignored the voices of community, religious, business and law enforcement leaders and signed this bill that will further paralyze communities with fear,” said Christian Ramirez, national coordinator of AFSC’s immigrants’ rights programs. “Now in Arizona, to be ‘brown’ is to be suspected of committing a crime.”

“Now that this misguided bill has become law, we call upon President Obama and Congress to enact immigration reform that respects the inherent rights of all people and does not further divide families or militarize the border,” Ramirez said.   

Based on years of experience working with immigrant families, AFSC urges lawmakers to use the following seven principles to guide reform.

They are:

• Adopt economic policies consistent with human rights and trade justice
• Protect all workers’ labor rights
• Create a clear, workable path to residency
• Respect immigrants’ civil and human rights
• Support family reunification
• Ensure immigrants access to services

For more information on AFSC’s immigrants’ rights programs, visit www.afsc.org, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

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The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power