SD council opposes Arizona immigration law

Craig Gustafson

Monday, May 3, 2010

The city of San Diego is formally opposed to the immigration law recently adopted in Arizona.

The City Council voted 7-1 to approve a resolution that urges Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and the state's lawmakers to repeal the legislation, which allows police to question and arrest people whom they suspect are in the country illegally.

Councilman Todd Gloria said the law is "fundamentally un-American."

"Those who do not speak out often come to regret their silence in time," he said. "Today, this council, through this resolution, will make clear that we will not stand by and watch the erosion of freedom in our own backyard."

The resolution states that the Arizona law encourages racial profiling and violates the U.S. Constitution.

Councilman Carl DeMaio voted against the resolution because he said it needed to include clarifications that Arizona passed a subsequent bill that made several changes to the original law, such as a prohibition on racial profiling. In addition, he wanted to add language urging the federal government to take immediate action to secure the nation's borders.

"We need to speak from a position of principle and a position of fact as well as a position of balance," DeMaio said.

Councilman Tony Young refused to add DeMaio's language to his original motion to approve the resolution.

"I won't do it because ... the legislation is flawed from its beginning," Young said.

A copy of the resolution will be sent to Brewer.

www.signonsandiego.com