There is a running joke in the Los Angeles bureau that we should rent a “FOX house” in Arizona – as many of our crews have been traveling back and forth from Phoenix and the border to cover the heated immigration law recently signed by Gov. Jan Brewer. My team alone has been to Arizona four times in the last five weeks covering this heated topic – and I am sure we’ll all be back many more times leading up to July 29, the day Senate Bill 1070 goes into effect.
This weekend we’re back at the Arizona Capitol building covering “dueling” protests around the Phoenix area. Organizers tell us about 50,000 opponents will march through the streets of downtown on Saturday to remind the world they believe the law amounts to racial profiling. Along their 5 mile route, protesters will be making stops at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office to stage mini-rallies there. Everyone will eventually end up on the State House lawn (where we’re reporting live from.) From day one critics have said this new law turns members of local law enforcement into Border Patrol Agents, since it’s the federal government’s job to enforce immigration laws in this country, not at the state level.
Interestingly, supporters of SB1070 are staging their own rally on Saturday at the Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona (about 20 miles east of the Capitol.) Roughly 10,000 people are expected to show up there. Proponents of the law argue it’s time something is done to curtail the illegal immigration problem in Arizona – considering it’s estimated that nearly 500,000 illegal immigrants currently reside in the state. They’re not alone – the latest Rasmussen poll shows that 70 percent of Americans actually support Arizona’s efforts. Pro-immigration reform groups are hoping to use that sentiment to organize a “buycott.” They’re encouraging people to buy goods and services from Arizona companies in addition to bringing valuable tourism dollars to the state.
This, of course, is to counter the boycotts approved by more than 30 cities, counties, and organizations around the country – to sort of punish Arizona for passing this law. Cities like Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco have already voted to suspend certain business contracts/deals with the state of Arizona. Many other groups have also canceled conventions and suspended business travel to the state – something that could cripple the economy, already suffering due to the recession.
No doubt the only thing hotter in Arizona than the blazing summer temperatures is this immigration debate – one that is not coming to an end anytime soon. In the meantime, “to be continued” from Arizona and perhaps we can work on getting us that FOX house instead of living in hotels the next few months!
