Thread: Convention Groups Threaten to Boycott Indiana over Immigrati

Convention Groups Threaten to Boycott Indiana over Immigration Bills
By Elizabeth Llorente
Published March 07, 2011

2007: Marchers in support of immigration reform walk the streets of Indianapolis.

Some groups are threatening to boycott Indiana -- by not holding conventions there, for instance, -- if the state passes hard-line immigration enforcement laws.

The Presbyterian Church's Bi-Annual Conference has notified the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association that it will not hold its July conference here as scheduled if the proposed law takes effect, The Indianapolis Star reported.

Another group says it would avoid Indianapolis in the future if the bill passes.

"It's a stupid law," said Jerry Powell, president of Portland, Ore.-based Resource Recycling, which has an August conference planned in Indianapolis.

Republican Sen. Mike Delph's bill would require state and local police to ask a person they have stopped for a violation for proof of legal residence if the officer has a "reasonable suspicion" the person is not a citizen or is in the country illegally. It also contains penalties for businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

It is styled after a measure passed last year in Arizona which criminalizes being in the state without lawful immigration status.

Federal immigration law treats being in the country illegally as a civil violation, not a criminal offense. Re-entering the United States illegally, however, after having been deported is classified as a crime.

Parts of the Arizona law are being challenged in court; one suit is by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Several organizations, including the Service Employees Industry Union (SEIU) and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), decided last year to join the National Council for La Raza (NCLR) in a boycott of Arizona.

Among other things, the groups pledged not to hold conventions, conferences or special events involving significant travel to and from Arizona. The Center for American Progress estimated that the boycott resulted in an $86 million loss in business tied to tourism and conventions.

Powell said his conferences typically draw about 50 Hispanics among an average of 1,200 attendees.

"I'm not going to have them harassed by an ethnicity filter," he said.

Spokesman Chris Gahl of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association said the group has "growing concern" about the impact of the bill if it becomes law.

The bill has passed the Republican-ruled Senate and is awaiting action in the House, where business has stalled because of a boycott by House Democrats.

A report by Pew Hispanic Center said that Indiana is home to 110,000 undocumented immigrants – the state’s population is 6.4 million, according to the U.S. Census.

Some 12 million undocumented immigrants are believed to be living in the United States.

Supporters of the Indiana measure say undocumented immigrants strain schools, medical care and social services and undercut Indiana workers at a time of high unemployment.

Opponents argue the bill would hurt Indiana businesses and say it would send a wrong message about the state's attitudes and could lead to racial profiling. Those opposing the measure include Eli Lilly & Co. and Columbus-based engine maker Cummins.

Some law enforcement officials have been among those opposing the bill.

Calling Senate Bill 590 a waste of resources, Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry announced that he had joined about 2,600 people in signing a petition to encourage state lawmakers to leave immigration reform to the federal government.

"It just seems like a pretty significant waste of resources to suggest that we should essentially duplicate the work of federal authorities," Curry said.

Curry is the only Indiana prosecutor to sign the compact, and no police chiefs or sheriffs have signed it.

Curry said the bill essentially creates new laws and that Marion County doesn't have the resources to enforce them. He also worries that the bill would make minorities, particularly Latinos, more hesitant to report crimes.

Indianapolis Public Safety Director Frank Straub also has spoken out against the bill, though he hasn't signed the compact.

Straub also cited Curry's concern that the bill would strain police relationships with minorities.

"It will make it incredibly difficult to interact with the minority community at the same level of trust our officers have spent years trying to get to," Straub said. "It presents a problem in terms of community policing."

This story contains material from The Associated Press.

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politi ... z1G0lGKI99

every state should go with AZ Law In my book wake the hell get your head Our of the sand . im with AZ laws all the way . , you want Illegal Immigrants to have your job ?
they get every thing free?
& we American get S/// you want to March ?
March to the Wh & tell the Wh what the hell you want
all you other state get your head Out of the sand & see what the hell is going On Obama don't car about The USA just the illegal Immigrant from Other country read & what tv.
Mr william Run for President . you see what going on This is our country & help get it back a s for for this Bill this & bill that what the Illegal Immigrants don't be long In our country this goes for all the other country that come over for a visit get the hell Out we don't
go Over to your country & say what want No we would get \shot
& you know this
SO Come on American stand up fight get your Head out Of the SAND DO THIS FOR YOUR kids



\No Amnesty

Sounds familiar. Stupid people, stupid arguments. AZ had all the same threats...Boycotts from the same groups and it backfired right in their faces. We came out smellin' like a rose and we are winning in the fight against ILLEGALS!

You Go Indiana!

well, either these groups are STUPID or just have no clue about what the bill is all about. or they are illegal alien lovers

Indiana needs less idiots, not more. This is more of the same old liberal bull! The libs and neo-cons want to create a atmosphere were their interests supersede the laws of the state for their selfish desires.

Houses of prostitution also make mucho money, yet Indiana has laws against those businesses.

If you are not supposed to be in this country, then you should not be in Indiana!

For those that are libtards and cannot understand the rule of law, stay out of Indiana! We don't need you, we don't want you or your ilk in our state!

If you are illegal, Adios! Go to a state where you are welcomed!

Among other things, the groups pledged not to hold conventions, conferences or special events involving significant travel to and from Arizona. The Center for American Progress estimated that the boycott resulted in an $86 million loss in business tied to tourism and conventions.

they lost 86 but how much money did they save by now giving tax money to people who should not get it, by having less illegal kids in school, by having less illegals going to the hospital and using it as a doc in the box,
in the long run, that 86 will look puny to what they end up saving

Originally Posted by jamesw62

they lost 86 but how much money did they save by now giving tax money to people who should not get it, by having less illegal kids in school, by having less illegals going to the hospital and using it as a doc in the box,
in the long run, that 86 will look puny to what they end up saving

Absolutely! And there was a counter movement called "BUYCOTT AZ" that drew many into AZ who supported us. I believe that many in the hotel industry who lost their jobs were illegals anyway. so, who did they hurt? Themselves more than anyone.

BTW: Seems like we kept Arizona’s 2011 MLB All-Star Game here in AZ despite La Raza and their open-borders allies!

Originally Posted by jamesw62

$86 million loss in business tied to tourism and conventions.

"The cost of illegal immigration to the state of Arizona is $2.6billion a year, I'd have to say they'll be rollin' in dough soon enough!"

Presbyterian Church Letter to Kelntucky Legislature about KY. 6
http://www.pcusa.org/media/uploads/oga/ ... tterky.pdf

Resource Recycling:

Executive Editor

Jerry Powell
jerry (at) resource-recycling.com

http://www.resource-recycling.com/contact