Vol. 72/No. 5      February 4, 2008

The confrontations took place as a new state immigration law came into effect here, becoming a focal point in the national debate on immigration policy. The legislation imposes sanctions on employers who “knowingly” hire undocumented workers.

Defenders of immigrant rights have held weekly protests in front of Pruitt’s furniture store in East Phoenix calling on the owners to stop hiring off-duty sheriff’s deputies as security guards. The cops patrol the store’s parking lot and turn over immigrant day laborers to federal Homeland Security police.

At the same time, ultrarightist groups like Riders United for a Sovereign America and the Minutemen Defense Corps have held counterprotests.

In early January, the store’s owners agreed to stop hiring the deputies while protest organizer Salvador Reza agreed to move the rallies in defense of the day laborers to the other side of the road. Sheriff Joseph Arpaio, however, said he intended to continue having his deputies patrol the area to arrest undocumented workers and turn them over to immigration police.

On a January 19-20 visit here, Militant reporters spoke with several day laborers at a Wal-Mart parking lot just a few blocks up the road from Pruitt’s. Nearby, a group of rightists stood with a sign declaring, “Way to go Sheriff Joe.”

One of the workers, Julio, who asked that his last name not be published, said the immigrant rights demonstrators received support from workers and local merchants who donated food to the pickets.

While the sheriff’s deputies were around, Julio said, “they arrested around 50 people and had them deported. It did no good, though, since most of the deported are back now.” He remarked, “They say they’re going to build a big fence—well, we are going to build an even bigger ladder.”

In response to threats by rightist demonstrators, Reza closed the Macehualli Work Center, a day laborer hiring site he operated in north Phoenix. He promised to take the day laborers instead to a nearby Home Depot. A group of rightists stood outside the center January 19 with cameras and placards that said “Yes, we have your registration number.”

The threatening slogan referred to the new state law that came into effect in January. The Legal Arizona Workers Act requires employers to screen new hires against a federal database, E-Verify, that checks a worker’s Social Security number and eligibility to work in the United States. Employers who “knowingly” hire undocumented workers are penalized, first with a 10-day suspension of their business license, and after a second offense with the loss of their license.

This law is the latest in a series of anti-immigrant legislation in this state and is being debated both within Arizona and nationally. Some capitalist politicians have criticized aspects of the legislation as too unwieldy for employers.

Under a deal reached January 16 in a federal court reviewing the law, enforcement of the employer sanctions has been held off until March.
 
 
Related articles:
Stop deportations! Legalization now!
Socialist presidential candidate tours Chicago, attends Indiana immigrant rights conference
Indiana events press fight for driver’s licenses for immigrants
Seattle protest: Stop the deportation of Cambodians!
Legalization of all immigrants now!  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home