Judge's decision awaited on immigration law

[anhtu]

Judge's decision awaited on immigration law


PHOENIX -- All eyes are on the federal courthouse in downtown Phoenix, waiting to see if U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton will stop Arizona's controversial immigration law from taking effect Thursday.

There were signs of tight security Monday morning at the Sandra Day O'Connor federal building -- where both supporters and opponents of the law staged demonstrations as Bolton heard arguments on the law last week. Bolton was expected to issue any ruling on the requests for injunctions to stop the law electronically instead of from the bench.

She heard arguments on two of the five court challenges to the law, which requires local police to check the immigration status of anyone they have stopped if they have reasonable suspicion that person might be in the United States illegally.

The Arizona Civil Liberties Union filed suit, claiming the law will lead to racial profiling and civil rights violations. The U.S. Justice Department challenged the law as unconstitutional, saying that immigration is the responsibility solely of the federal government.

Some Homeland Security police vehicles showed up outside the court building Monday, and a national rent-a-fence crew began putting up fences to keep possible protesters on the sideway and away from the courthouse plaza. Seven protesters were arrested last Friday when they went into the street and disrupted traffic.

Meanwhile, the debate of the Arizona law continues across the nation.

A popular rock band took to the stage over the weekend to condemn Senate Bill 1070, the immigration law.

"Rage Against the Machine" returned to Los Angeles for the first time in 10 years to protest the law.

"We're here to use our music to unite people of all colors and economic strata in a single voice of solidarity to say no to legalized racial profiling," said guitarist Tom Morello. "No matter what the language and legal loopholes, this law is about racial profiling."

The concert at the Palladium raised $300,000.

Some California groups plan to travel to Arizona by the bus load this week.

Maria Elena Durazo with the AFL-CIO in Los Angeles said her group will dare police to act.

"We will not be carrying, quote, unquote, papers," she said. "We will tell them, `Arrest us for being brown or black.'"

Jesse Hernandez, with the Republican Latino Association, and a supporter of the law, said Durazo and her supporters are not informed.

"That's why I'm challenging them to pick up the bill and read it and not believe the rhetoric that's coming out of the left," Hernandez said.

Activist Angelica Salas was not swayed by Arizona's claim that the law guards against racial profiling.

"There are civil rights law suits against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio," she said. "What Sheriff Joe is doing in Maricopa County is now sanctioned by the state."

The Los Angeles groups said they will come to Phoenix, whether or not Bolton issues an injunction against the law.