Thread: Federal Agencies Nixing Conventions Over State's Immigratio

Arizona Dem: Federal Agencies Nixing Conventions Over State's Immigration Law

Published June 24, 2010
| FOXNews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06 ... ation-law/




Two federal agencies have joined the "boycott Arizona" trend and nixed conferences there out of concern over the state's immigration law, a Democratic Arizona congresswoman said, calling the development "very troubling."

The cancellations by the Department of Education and the U.S. Border Patrol may have been more out of a desire to steer clear of controversy than outright protest of the law. But Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who has written to dozens of cities and groups in a campaign to persuade them to end their boycotts, said it was disturbing to learn that the federal government would withdraw from the state over the issue.

"It is very troubling when the federal government becomes involved in a boycott against our state," Giffords said in a written statement. "Although I personally disagree with the immigration law, it came about because of growing frustration over the federal government's unwillingness to secure the border. The federal government's participation in this boycott only adds to that frustration."

FoxNews.com is awaiting response from both agencies. Giffords' office said the cancellations were confirmed by the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association.

According to Giffords, the Education Department canceled a convention set for October at a Tucson resort after the Mexican government said it would not send any representatives to the meeting. The department then moved the event to Minnesota.


Further, her office said the Border Patrol canceled a conference set for May at a resort in Prescott after an official asked that it be moved out of concern over the immigration law debate. The Border Patrol -- which has more than 4,000 agents in Arizona, representing nearly a quarter of its force -- had booked 40 rooms for the event before canceling.

Giffords is among a number of Arizona officials who argue that the boycotts imposed by cities across the country do nothing to change the law and only punish workers and businesses there. The boycotts would hit the hospitality industry, which is made up in large part of Hispanic workers, particularly hard.

In the letter she has been sending to cities and groups that have imposed boycotts, Giffords wrote that the punitive measures have "unfairly targeted" her state's businesses.

The Obama administration is planning to file suit against the Arizona law, citing its sustained concern about the move to subject some residents to routine checks on their immigration status.

So far, a couple of cities have written Giffords back defending their actions against her state.

El Paso Mayor John Cook wrote in a letter to the congresswoman June 10 that his city was not "condoning" illegal immigration by passing a resolution that prohibits city officials from attending conferences in Arizona. He said his city's measure, though not a full-fledged boycott, emphasizes the importance of passing a comprehensive immigration overhaul and "expresses our concerns with the possibility of law enforcement racially profiling people."

Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell also wrote this month that its ban on employee travel to the state -- and a reconsideration of city contracts there -- was imposed out of concern for racial profiling.

Giffords is among a number of Arizona officials who argue that the boycotts imposed by cities across the country do nothing to change the law and only punish workers and businesses there. The boycotts would hit the hospitality industry, which is made up in large part of Hispanic workers, particularly hard.

Good. This is even more incentive for the illegal Hispanics to go home, and for the legal ones to get on board with American rule of law.

Duplicate Post
This one stays unlocked because of earlier post

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-203855.html

Quote:
"According to Giffords, the Education Department canceled a convention set for October at a Tucson resort after the Mexican government said it would not send any representatives to the meeting. The department then moved the event to Minnesota."

Why on earth would the MEXICAN GOVERNMENT be sending representatives to a convention of the U.S. Education Department, and why would the wishes of these "representatives" have such influence? I do not hear these questions being addressed in any of the "sound bites" about these cancellations on FOX News.

This story answers my own question above.

Arizona Dem Reaffirms Charge That Feds Moved Conferences to Protest State's Immigration Law

Published June 26, 2010

| FOXNews.com

An Arizona congresswoman refused to back down from her allegations that two federal agencies moved their conferences from the state to boycott its new law cracking down on illegal immigrants despite the agencies' denial.

Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords told Fox News on Saturday that she has information that the Department of Education and the U.S. Border Patrol canceled scheduled meetings in Arizona over the state's tough new law that has prompted at least two dozen cities or government agencies across the nation, including Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle, to pass resolutions to boycott the state or curtail economic activity.

"We have the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education that had planned for meetings, had then canceled those meetings with the reason given that it was because of the immigration law," she said on Saturday, repeating a charge she first leveled earlier in the week.

But the Customs and Border Protection, the agency above the Border Patrol, has denied canceling any conferences in Arizona.

"We conducted a thorough review across our organization to ensure this is, in fact, the case," the statement said. "The agency has reached out to Rep. Giffords' office to clear up any misunderstanding."

Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords told Fox News on Saturday that she has information that the Department of Education and the U.S. Border Patrol canceled scheduled meetings in Arizona over the state's tough new immigration law, June 26, 2010. (FNC)

The Education Department acknowledged moving a joint event held with Mexican and Canadian partners in a student exchange program.

But Assistant Education Secretary Peter Cunningham said in a statement that it did so because the Mexicans, an equal partner in the program, asked that it be moved. Each agency pays for its part of the joint North American Mobility Program.

"The Department of Education will continue to hold conferences in the state of Arizona, including one next week."

On Saturday, Giffords said she has been working with the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association, which she says has confirmed the cancellations by the federal agencies, ever since the law was passed to prevent a boycott.

"I've been reaching out to to cities, to states, and even the federal government, any organization that's talking about a boycott or boycotting the state of Arizona and reaching out to them and saying, 'look, a boycott is ill-conceived,'" she said. "It's counterproductive. It really hurts the very people that many of these groups espouse that they want to protect."

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed the new law in April and it takes effect on July 29 unless blocked by a court.

The law requires that police conducting traffic stops or questioning people about possible legal violations ask them about their immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that they're in the country illegally. The law also makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally or to impede traffic while hiring day laborers, regardless of the worker's immigration status. It would become a crime for illegal immigrants to solicit work.

The Obama administration is planning to file suit against the Arizona law, citing its sustained concern about the move to subject some residents to routine checks on their immigration status.

But Giffords said Saturday that the federal government should focus on solving the "bigger problem."

"The bigger problem is the federal government has not secured the southern Arizona border," she said, noting that in her district of Tucson, more than 240,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended last year, down from more than 500,000 in 2005.

"There's so much frustration in the state that led to a divisive bill," she said. "I want the federal government to focus on solving the problem."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06 ... olitics%29