ThinkProgress.org

IMMIGRATION — THOUSANDS PROTEST DRACONIAN ARIZONA LAW: On Friday, Arizona governor Jan Brewer (R) signed into law a draconian immigration bill that aims to “identify, prosecute and deport” undocumented immigrants. The law gives local police officers the power to detain anyone suspected of being in the U.S. illegally — a measure that many have concluded will “exacerbate racial profiling” and violate Americans’ civil rights. Before Brewer signed the legislation into law, President Obama said it “threatens basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.” Around 2,500 protesters marched to the Arizona state Capitol yesterday in opposition to the new measure. Speaking at the rally, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) “urged the Obama administration not to cooperate when illegal immigrants are picked up by local police if a tough new state immigration law survives legal challenges.” “We’re going to overturn this unjust and racist law, and then we’re going to overturn the power structure that created this unjust, racist law,” Grijalva said. Sunday was the third day of peaceful protests against the bill. While the new immigration law has rallying advocates for immigrant rights, it has split conservatives across the nation. On Fox News Sunday yesterday, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol celebrated the new law, saying he doesn’t “think it violates anyone’s civil rights.” While many conservatives like Kristol have offered support, a number have also denounced it. “There’s no such thing” as “American-looking,” Mike Huckabee said. Charles Krauthammer noted that it “could lead to a lot of civil rights abuses” and Fox News’ Judge Andrew Napolitano said that by signing the bill, Brewer is bankrupting the state because of “all the lawsuits that will happen — for all the people that are wrongfully stopped.”