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Written by Lisa Neff, Staff writer
May 20, 2010
Demonstrators in Washington, D.C., protest Arizona’s new immigration law. Demonstrations took place across the country after the governor signed the bill April 23. – Photo: Jobs with Justice
LGBT civil rights activists joined a national chorus of critics of the nation’s most stringent immigration measure, signed into law in Arizona late last month.
The law, signed by Gov. Jan Brewer April 23, criminalizes failure to carry immigration documents and gives law enforcement officers broad powers to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally.
The measure, endorsed by U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is scheduled to take effect in August, unless a delay comes with expected court challenges.
Some lawmakers in other states, including Michigan, have suggested adopting similar measures, but the U.S. Justice Department strongly criticized the law, as have many civil and human rights groups, including the nation’s largest and oldest LGBT organizations.
“We stand in solidarity with immigration reform advocates,” said Lambda Legal executive director Kevin Cathcart.
Since the 1970s, Cathcart said, Lambda has fought for immigration reform that “must include, at a minimum, an end to the unequal treatment of same-sex bi-national couples, revision of unfair restrictions on asylum, respect for the due process rights of those held in detention and a path to legalization.”
Rea Carey, of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called the Arizona legislation “draconian” and “inhumane.”
“It has no place on the books anywhere,” she said. “The potential for racial profiling, infringement of civil liberties and violence and harassment against individuals and their families just going about their daily lives is enormous.”
A number of other organizations – labor unions, religious associations and business groups – also condemned the Arizona legislation.
The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association, in a statement released May 5, echoed calls from other hospitality organizations in condemning “the recent hurtful and discriminatory actions on immigration policy taken by Arizona.”
IGLTA, however, urged against a boycott: “We know that this otherwise well-intended approach will harm many of our ally businesses, large and small, that are welcoming and inclusive of the LGBT community and others.”
The U.S. Travel Association also opposed an Arizona boycott, stating, “Boycotts … will lead to job losses and economic hardship for families and local communities. It is inappropriate to punish the men and women of our industry who have done no harm to others.”
