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Joint Statement on the Unacceptable Passage of Racial Profiling Law (SB 1070) in Arizona

By April 23, 2010One Comment

For Immediate Release: April 23, 2010

Contact: EunSook Lee, NAKASEC, 323-937-3703 x205
Sohn Sik, KRCC, 773-588-9158 
Dae Joong Yoon, KRC, 323-937-3718

NAKASEC & Affiliates’ Statement on the Unacceptable Passage of Racial Profiling Law (SB 1070) in Arizona

(Los Angeles, CA)  Today, Governor Jan Brewer signed the most far-reaching anti-immigrant legislation the U.S. has seen in years into law in the state of Arizona. SB 1070 will allow police to stop and question people simply based on “a reasonable suspicion” that they are undocumented, detain individuals for not having proper identification, and criminalize individuals being present with a friend or family member who is undocumented.

“Governor Brewer’s decision to pass SB 1070 into state law is deeply disturbing, and we repudiate any suggestion that this bill will respect or advance civil rights as she suggested at today’s press conference. The bill is an unconstitutional and racist law that will have grave consequences for communities of color and immigrants. It has legalized racial profiling and will not improve the current immigration system but will worsen it by spreading terror and mistrust between community members and local enforcement. We are committed to working with advocacy and community organizations to challenge the law in court,” said EunSook Lee, executive director of NAKASEC (National Korean American Service & Education Consortium).

“The passage of SB 1070 is an attack against the values that make this country so special – values of hard work, justice, and equality. Furthermore, it perpetuates the pattern of hate and racism that we have witnessed in Maricopa County. We must remember that this can happen anywhere, to any community – that is why we stand united with the people of Arizona and reinforce our commitment to work towards real solutions to our failing immigration system,” said Sohn Sik, executive director of the Korean American Resource & Cultural Center of Chicago.

“While we work to challenge SB 1070, we will continue to support local efforts to address the immediate needs of immigrant communities in Arizona.  As an immigrant community and as part of the southwest, we not only care about the issue, but many of us have traveled to Arizona at different times this year to support the community. Local organizations will be providing support and comfort to people while educating them about what SB 1070 means. Hotlines will be available to document and address the many expected cases of racial profiling. We will not be intimidated by fear but instead will work that much harder so that immigrant families are protected and valued as contributors to the economy and strength of this country,” said Dae Joong Yoon, executive director of the Korean Resource Center of Los Angeles.

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NAKASEC is a national organization founded in 1994 by local Korean American community organizations to project a national progressive voice and promote the full civic participation of Korean Americans as part of a greater goal of building a national movement for social change.  NAKASEC is a member of the Reform Immigration FOR America coalition.

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