August 3, 2010

See below for a statement from SAALT regarding the recent court decision on Arizona’s anti-immigrant legislation and similar proposals being considered in other states.
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South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national organization whose mission is to elevate the voices and perspectives of South Asian individuals and organizations to build a more just and inclusive society in the United States, applauds the recent federal court decision blocking key provisions of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law, SB1070. Measures that would have allowed state authorities to question individuals suspected of being undocumented and criminalized those who did not proof of immigration status have been temporarily halted.
“SAALT commends the recent decision to block the most egregious aspects of the Arizona law, which would have clearly led to law enforcement’s profiling of those who appear foreign. As South Asian community members have experienced since September 11th, profiling undermines trust between communities and police and diminishes public safety. We call upon state and local policymakers not to resort to anti-immigrant proposals that violate the basic rights of individuals and result in targeting of certain communities in this country,” said Deepa Iyer, Executive Director of SAALT.
South Asian organizations and community members have been actively involved in efforts against the Arizona legislation and similar policies being considered or implemented elsewhere. Arizona South Asians for Safe Families, an anti-domestic violence organization based on Scottsdale, joined lawsuit filed by various immigrant and civil rights organizations against the Arizona policy and Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM) has been organizing community members in New York.
In the absence of federal measures, state and local governments in jurisdictions with significant South Asian populations, including Maryland, Texas, and Virginia, are considering immigration enforcement policies similar to the Arizona law. Such policies underscore the need for just and humane immigration reform and robust anti-profiling policies. SAALT calls upon federal policymakers to enact legislation that remedies our broken immigration system and respects fundamental civil rights.
For more information, contact SAALT at 301.270.1855 or info@saalt.org.

Source: SAALT Blog