By Mariana Vazquez Garcia
Head Immigration Attorney, The Law Offices of Spar & Bernstein
Arizona’s new immigration law has triggered different emotions in me, including feelings of outright protest.
At times, I am livid.
At other moments, I am positively offended.
And yet other times, I am hopeful.
I’m livid at the hypocrisy of the Arizona politicians and their supporters. I’m offended that the governor says she will not tolerate racial profiling in her state, yet must know full well that is exactly what will happen – if it doesn’t already. But I’m hopeful that at the very least economic problems will be sure to follow in Arizona and that they will be well deserved. I’m hopeful that the challenges filed against that piece of garbage will prevail and that the federal government will finally work in passing a good immigration law .
I’m hopeful that maybe this economic woe will teach at least some that it is not easy to run businesses, to clean houses or offices, to do their own landscaping, to do their own cooking, to run restaurants, to serve on others, etc. Just because Latinos go quietly about their work, it does not mean that our work is less important than anyone else contributing to this country.
I’m hopeful that maybe some will finally learn or accept that their home state – as well as the rest of the country, for that matter – was built by the hard work of illegal immigrants (all the way back to the Pilgrims), some who have been able to legalize their status and others who simply dream of the chance to do so all the while working jobs no one will take, working hours no one else will work, working harder than those with legal status, and always working for the greater benefit of those with status and in power rather than for themselves.
I do understand the need and desire to halt people from crossing into this land, but the Arizona law does nothing to prevent that from happening.
Instead, it is now open season on Latinos, legal or not, in Arizona.
So, I join the boycott of Arizona and hope for a better life for us all!
