Rep. Chu Issues Statement Decrying Harsh Arizona Immigration Law

Statement

Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA32, issued the following statement today about the harsh new immigration law signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer over the weekend:

"The passage of Arizona's harsh and unjust immigration law is strong proof that now more than ever, we need to pass the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill authored by Rep. Gutierrez. As a co-sponsor of CIR-ASAP, I believe that passing such a crucial bill, which protects our borders while providing otherwise law-abiding undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship, is critical.

"Without such comprehensive reform, we will only see more cruel and misguided efforts such as the Arizona law, which basically institutionalizes racial profiling and will lead to American citizens being detained by police simply because they forgot their drivers' license at home. It is unconscionable for any of our citizens to have to live in fear and carry multiple forms of identification with them everywhere they go. That is something one would expect from a Cold War Eastern Bloc country, not America in the 21st Century.

"I urge the Obama Administration and the Justice Department to investigate the legality and constitutionality of the Arizona bill, which will also damage the necessary trust between the citizens and law enforcement required for police to do their job effectively. And I also laud Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker Pelosi for their efforts to quickly bring Comprehensive Immigration Reform to a vote in Congress. I ask my fellow Congress members to join me in supporting such a bill, and to ensure that the rights of our citizens, and of all human beings, are respected by the laws of our nation."

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