Since April, Arizona and the rest of the United States have been in a heated debate over a pending immigration law known as SB 1070, which would allow local law enforcements to ask for documentation of detained individuals suspected of illegal status given reasonable suspicion of that status. Arizona governor Jan Brewer is continuously defending the measure as vital to the state’s security; it is set to take effect July 29.
“We will (be) fighting for the people of Arizona and for the people of America,” said Brewer on “On the Record,” aired on FOX News June 16. “This is unconscionable what Arizona is facing. We are certainly under attack by the drug cartels and by the drug smugglers, the human smugglers. It’s out of control. It’s totally out of control.”
Texas, also a border state, faces the same fear of influx of immigrants as well as lingering drug cartel violence, but Chad Richardson, professor of sociology at the University, said Texas would be unlikely to pass a similar law.
“Texas does about 10 times the business with Mexico than does any other state including California,” said Richardson, who’s been at UTPA since 1977. “The economic conservatives in Texas - for example, Chamber of Commerce types - are opposed to such laws because of the damage it would do in our relation with Mexico and because they benefit from the cheaper labor of undocumented residents.”
Although it may be unlikely, it has not stopped Texas House of Representative Debbie Riddle, from planning to suggest a similar bill in the upcoming January legislative session.
Among the dissenters from Arizona’s decision are numerous academics.
Jessica Lavariega Monforti, professor of political science at UTPA, said, “Arizona’s attempt to deal with the issue of undocumented immigrant is, for lack of a better word, pointless. It is a lose-lose proposition in that it will not stop or slow immigrants from coming to the U.S. without proper documentation, and it violates civil liberties and creates additional racial and ethnic tension and hostility.”
Additionally, boycotts are being planned by cities who oppose the law, which could potentially harm Arizona’s economic system. Denver and Chicago have cancelled all travel to conventions in Arizona. There is also a movement afoot to boycott this summer’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Phoenix.
Damian S. Damianov, a professor in the UTPA economics department, said if boycotts were to happen, they would affect commerce in other states besides Arizona.
“I don’t know how exactly how something like this could happen,” said Damianov with a bit of skepticism. “And looking back at history, I haven’t seen something like this happen. Probably back in the ‘60s when African Americans and Mexican Americans were protesting the segregation laws…consequences were enormous… but I’m not convinced that something like this is possible because you cannot draw parallels on what is going on now with this law and then (protests of the ‘60s). There’s a difference.”
Damianov further clarified that it is difficult to successfully boycott when the majority is not in favor of such a stance. Most public opinion polls show support for the Arizona law.
Students at UTPA have also joined the debate. Abraham Silvia, junior broadcast major, said he does not find the law racist, as some have charged.
“Under regular circumstances that may seem bad to people but the violence across the border is only escalating and is crossing over to the U.S.,” Silvia noted. “It would be more sad to have to put up with illegal Mexicans coming over to commit their crimes and have people killed on U.S. soil than to have stopped them when you had the chance. It’s a preventative measure by the government.”
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