ADL Welcomes Justice Department Suit Against Arizona Anti-Immigration Law

New York, NY, July 6, 2010 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) welcomed the lawsuit filed today by the U.S. Department of Justice against Arizona's harsh new anti-immigrant law.

 

Robert G. Sugarman, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

ADL welcomes the Justice Department's action to prevent the ill-advised Arizona law from taking effect later this month.

 

Immigration is a national issue, and a federal responsibility.  Rather than allow states to adopt a patchwork of disparate immigration policies, we strongly support comprehensive immigration reform that will provide a unified and focused approach to strengthen border security in a workable and humane manner.

 

The Arizona law poorly serves both our security and our values as a nation of immigrants.  Like the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police and many law enforcement organizations, we are concerned that the new law is likely to result in discrimination and more mistrust between the Latino community and the local law enforcement agencies entrusted with protecting them.

The League filed its own amicus brief last month challenging the law, arguing that enforcement of the "ill-conceived and misguided" Arizona law will irreparably damage law enforcement's ability to protect Arizona residents.

 

ADL has taken a lead role in exposing the virulent anti-immigrant and xenophobic rhetoric that has risen to the surface as part of the national debate over immigration and has documented the anti-immigrant discrimination and hate violence that this atmosphere fosters.