June 25, 2012

Lee Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on Arizona Immigration Law

Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court issued a ruling on S.B. 1070, Arizona’s controversial immigration law: 

“Today, the Supreme Court struck down key provisions of Arizona’s immigration law, SB 1070, on the grounds that they undermined the federal government’s role in immigration enforcement.  Still, the Court made a grave error by failing to strike the provision that allows law enforcement to discriminate based on appearance and accent.  By allowing the controversial ‘papers please’ provision to stand, I fear the floodgates have been opened for legally-sanctioned racial profiling.  The Supreme Court will soon learn what we all already know: in practice, this provision is an assault on communities where people look and dress a certain way and it is a violation of our most basic civil rights.  I will continue to fight for common-sense immigration reform, and oppose Republican efforts to kill the American Dream.  The United States is at her best when we are committed to ensuring that all are treated fairly.”

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