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| May 20, 2010 "Alto Arizona" protest taking place at the Arizona State Capitol building (http://www.seiu.org/images/PhoenixSB1070Rally_kids1.jpg) |
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| Flyer pronoting the "Stop Arizona" rally (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NyAtrnIJuVc/S_RnPAO28dI/AAAAAAAAACI/ayQWJY6Ihyc/s400/May+29th+Arizona+pic4.jpg) |
From
Steele Indian School Park to the Arizona State Capitol Building (1700 W. Washington
St, Phoenix, Arizona)
The state of Arizona has been the boiling pot of recent
Immigration Policies due to its close proximity to the United States-Mexico
Border. New policies such as
Senate Bill 1070, included provisions that obligate police officers to question
people of on their citizenship status based on reasonable suspicion. This
ignited social movements between both pro-immigration and anti-immigration
supporters. SB 1070 supporters
argued it enforced the federal law at a state level. However, anti-SB1070
protesters, specifically Latinos, felt targeted as a group by the law because
it promoted racial profiling by law enforcement. The signing of the bill by
Governor Jan Brewer on April 23, 2010 instantly garnered national attention and
brought its constitutionality into question. State Judge, John Noonan explains
the issue, "For those sympathetic to immigrants to the United States,
it is a challenge and a chilling foretaste of what other states might attempt.
For those burdened by unlawful immigration, it suggests how a state could
tackle that problem. It is not our function, however, to evaluate the statute
as a symbol. We are asked to assess the constitutionality." (Arizona State
Republic, Block on SB 1070 Upheld). Several major protests erupted in
Arizona’s State Capitol shortly after its passage. Thousands of protesters
marched five miles towards the state capitol on May 29, 2010 to protest against
the controversial bill, making the city of Phoenix a catalyst for immigration
protests throughout the nation.
The protest started at Steele Indian School Park and ended at
the Arizona State Capitol Building located on 1700 W. Washington St, Phoenix,
Arizona. The protest recognized as
“Alto Arizona” or “Stop Arizona” emphasized the bill as a stepping stone
towards racialization because it portrayed all “Latino” people as being
illegal; Thus, having the potential to bring change to the current racial
formation of Latino citizens and illegal immigrants in America. By passing the law, the Arizona State
Government along with the majority of its citizens expressed to the nation
their discontent and negative view towards Latino immigrants. Consequently,
re-enforcing the barriers faced by undocumented immigrants in society; also
known as, the Tercera Frontera (Third Border). This view was exposed in other
states with the possibility of creating a negative image towards all Latinos in
America. However, the immigrant rights activist fought back by creating a
massive protest against Arizona policy. The State Capitol symbolized the
struggle of Latino and immigrant identity in the United States creating a
“Brown Spatial Imaginary”. In
conclusion, barriers set forth by the Tercera Frontera such as SB 1070 and
other anti-immigrant policies continue to develop the consequence of being
“brown” in America.
- Orlando Menjivar, Andrew Candelaria, and Chris Rutherford
References:
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