The US Supreme Court decision that struck down Arizona’s harsh and punitive immigration law goes far deeper than saying a state is not permitted to have its own foreign policy.
The decision effectively gives an added boost to Richard Carmona’s campaign for the US Senate to succeed the right wing Republican Whip, Jon Kyl. Carmona, may be the underdog, but he is rising steadily in the polls. Carmona is now considered to be in a competitive race. The Republicans are facing a divisive primary between the extreme conservative Congressman Flake and others who think he is not sufficiently extreme. The emotional and psychological boost from the Supreme Court’s decision creates an added reason to organize in the Latino community.
See https://livableworld.org/elections/2012/candidates/senate/rcarmona/ for an update on the Carmona campaign and add your financial contribution to the effort.
The Supreme Court decision gives credence, legitimacy and respect to the deep Latina and Latino opposition to Arizona’s draconian law. That will stimulate further political organizing within the Latin community.
The Supreme Court threw out three Arizona criminal provisions. The effect of the decision will now give needed free space, that necessary breathing room, for immigrants to come closer to leading a normal life. These illegal provisions are:
- Arizona by requiring people to carry registration papers exceeded its authority. Such a requirement is a Federal judgment, not a state one.
- Arizona criminalized an undocumented immigrant if she or he applied for work. Once again Arizona exceeded and illegally interposed its authority.
- Arizona gave its state officers power they did not have to arrest, without a warrant, if they had probable cause, a person they believed was committing a crime for which she or he could be deported.
Even the provision they upheld, which allows a state officer to make a “reasonable attempt” to determine the immigration status for people they stop, detain or arrest, will be tested if it is applied unevenly or with racial profiling. The Supreme Court in upholding the provision, while in no way desirable, means that protective programs, organized by community organizations and immigration rights lawyers, will serve as important gathering places for the Latin community
Added to the whole effort is Project High Hope organized by Council Chair, Ira Lechner.
This Project will have radio ads for voter registration on 89 stations in Arizona and New Mexico playing Latino and hip-hop music. As Speaker O’Neill (a favorite political leader of mine) used to say, “all politics is local.” In Maricopa County, where Phoenix is, O’Neill’s aphorism has real meaning. The hated Sheriff of Maricopa County, Joe Arpaio has to face the voters this fall. This will add immeasurably to the Latin turnout.
For all these reasons Richard Carmona’s campaign efforts to turn the seat from a right wing one to a seat held by a moderate liberal, who favors sensible national security policies, is very much alive. The political change in Arizona has already surprised Washington Insiders who initially saw it as a likely Republican seat and now it is leaning.
Insiders, while always certain, are often wrong. The political dynamic keeps changing in Arizona and the Supreme Court decision on Arizona’s immigration law has added a new and positive dimension to Arizona’s politics..
David
Cohen
Washington DC
June 27, 2012
