Local Union Heads To Arizona to Try and Get Arrested

Posted: Jun 03, 2010 9:11 AM PDT
Updated: Jun 03, 2010 1:30 PM PDT

0:52

SALINAS, Calif- Local labor leaders will travel to Arizona next month and they are planning to challenge authorities to arrest them.

The Salinas United Farm Workers said that they are going to be leaving their identification papers behind in attempts to get Arizona authorities to arrest them using racial profiling. Members of the union say that if they can not get the attention of the police then they will attempt to provoke them by committing traffic violations.

Efren Barajas, UFW President, says, "We are very unhappy with this piece of legislation and that's the way to let them know our position. They can arrest ourselves for being brown skinned, for not having documents, or for being suspicious of being undocumented."

Arizona's new law, scheduled to take effect July 29, will require police to examine immigration status if there is reasonable suspicion a person is in the country illegally.

U.S. Justice Department officials have drafted a legal challenge asserting that Arizona's law is unconstitutional because it intrudes on the federal government's authority to guard the nation's borders. President Barack Obama, a critic of the law, is planning to meet Thursday with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a White House official said Tuesday.

Critics of the law also say it unfairly targets Hispanics and could lead to racial profiling. Proponents insist racial profiling will not be tolerated.

A poll that was conducted by the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California shows 50% of Californians support Arizona's law and 43% oppose the law.

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