OPERATOR: Thank you for calling the Arizona travel advisory hotline. If you're planning a trip to Arizona, beware of an important travel warning. An overly stringent law on immigration has made it difficult for anyone who looks even remotely suspicious, resulting in detainment. Please check the following options to understand the implications of your actions. And remember to carry your citizenship and immigration papers at all times.
If you plan to wear jeans, press 1. If your skin is even remotely tanned, yellow, brown or blue in hue, press 2. If you tend to eat fast foods, drink bright colored juices or eat fresh vegetables in lieu of meat products, press 3.
If 1: Jeans are worn by many working people targeted by the new Arizona immigration law. Please wear slacks or khakis to avoid appearing suspicious. For more information, please press 4.
If 2: Working people come in many shapes and sizes, but anyone who doesn't resemble a J. Crew or Ralph Lauren model, should be very, very careful. Consider wearing conservative or preppy clothing to avoid getting noticed. For more information, please press 4.
If 3: Many working people targeted by the new immigration Arizona immigration law eat fast foods and drink bright colored juices. Avoid these foods while traveling in Arizona to avoid undue attention from law enforcement officials. For more information, please press4
If 4: To learn more about this Arizona campaign visit www (dot) it stops in Arizona (dot) com. Or press 1 from your cell phone to receive text message updates about Arizona travel warnings, boycotts and other breaking news on immigration reform. SEIU will never charge for these alerts but your carrier's message and data rates may apply.
Boycotts work. We saw this in the early 1990s, when people last boycotted Arizona for the state's refusal to observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: people canceled their vacations to Scottsdale and the Grand Canyon; conventions were moved from Phoenix to Los Angeles, and the NFL moved SuperBowl XXVII from Tempe to Pasadena.
In a letter [see below] to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce said a boycott war is bad for both sides, and said he would "be happy to encourage Arizona utilities to renegotiate your power agreements" to end the electricity flowing to Los Angeles.
"I am confident that Arizona's utilities would be happy to take those electrons off your hands," Mr. Pierce said. "If, however, you find that the City Council lacks the strength of its convictions to turn off the lights in Los Angeles and boycott Arizona power, please reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona's economy."
Los Angeles' city council votes to boycott Arizona for its enforcement of existing federal law. No word yet on how China's human rights violations will be treated. [Emphasis added.]
Labor unions are using Arizona’s new immigrant trespassing law to bolster their organizing efforts among Hispanic workers.
Union representatives say they are seeing a surge in inquiries from Hispanic workers in Arizona worried about the new law and the potential for more police raids and inquiries into their workplaces.
“We are getting more calls,” said Scott Washburn, state director of the Service Employees International Union. SEIU has about 4,000 members in Arizona, mostly in the public sector.
[snip]
Washburn would not disclose what percentage of SEIU members are Hispanic versus other ethnicities. He said the union does not ask potential members to prove their legal status.
Arizona AFL-CIO Director Rebekah Friend said the immigration debate and the law are encouraging Hispanic workers to look at organizing and becoming more involved politically.
“The more downward pressure you put on workers, the more likely they are to join a union,” she said.
Employment attorneys confirmed the law is making Arizona a target for a number of unions looking to organize workers in the construction and service sectors.
[snip]
“Several unions, Unite Here and SEIU, have harbored desires to build a presence among lower-wage service industries, such as commercial janitor services, hospitality and resorts,” Lomax said. “Expect to see these and other unions join the political debate in Arizona — and, if they find the right opportunity, they will pursue organizing.”
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