Locals heading to Arizona for rallies

By Leslie Berestein, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 3:25 a.m.

Rallies in Phoenix to show opposition to and support for Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law begin this weekend, and people from San Diego County are headed there to participate.

A group that left Friday is going to rally against the law, which was signed last month, while those leaving next weekend will rally in favor of it.
Both groups are trying to send a message to the federal government to take a stand on immigration.

The Arizona law, which empowers local police to check individuals’ immigration status, has reinvigorated the immigration debate, putting pressure on Washington to tackle the contentious issue.

An estimated 100 people who oppose the new law left Friday evening from Chicano Park to caravan to Arizona. They represent community, church, union and other groups and intend to march five miles with an expected crowd of several thousand from a downtown park to the state capitol.

Local organizer Fernanda Rios said their message to Arizona remains consistent.

“We are demanding that the law be repealed,â€