Supporting Arizona's Mothers: A March to Stop SB 1070

Mother’s Day may be officially behind us, but protecting the rights of immigrant mothers and their families remains a hot topic in Arizona – and around the nation.

Today in Phoenix, women representing social movements from across the country are scheduled to participate in a “Mother’s Day March” on the state capitol to protest the passage of SB 1070, which gives law enforcement unprecedented latitude to racially profile and criminalize undocumented immigrants.

Show your support for this emergency effort, and tell the women of Arizona they are not alone. Sign a petition calling on women in Congress to take action against SB 1070.

Led by the National Domestic Workers Alliance (headed by Ai-jen Poo, former executive director of Ms. Foundation grantee, Domestic Workers United), the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and Jobs with Justice (also a Ms. Foundation grantee), participants plan to shed particular light on how SB 1070 will negatively impact immigrant women and families. In a letter to supporters, NDWA declared:

With the passage of this new law, women in Arizona will be the target of racial profiling, searches and seizures, and police harassment. Law enforcement will have free reign to detain and disappear mothers, and separate families for their mere presence in the state. Every time they walk their children to school, buy food, go to work, visit a local health clinic or attend church on a Sunday, they will risk permanent separation from their children and families.

This assault on immigrant communities is also an assault on the legacy of the women's movement to break the code of silence surrounding violence against women, because they will be afraid of reporting all crimes, including hate crimes and violent acts against women and their children. Women in unsafe situations, such as sexual assault and domestic violence, will not report out of fear of deportation… Arizona has declared open season on women of color.

This past weekend, organizers collected testimony from immigrant women and children about the traumatic experiences they've faced in recent weeks and months and their fears for what this new legislation portends. The results from these interviews, along with today’s activities will be announced at a press conference today; a full report will be sent to the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Again, show your support for immigrant women and families in Arizona. Sign a petition calling on women in Congress to take action against SB 1070.