Anonymous Group Creates Fear by Distributing List of 'Illegal Immigrants' in Utah

A group identified as "Concerned Citizens of the United States" has distributed a detailed list of 1300 people it describes as "illegal immigrants" and called for their immediate deportation. The list, originally sent to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in Salt Lake City in April, was distributed this week to police, elected officials, and media. The details, according to the New York Times, include "address and telephone number to their date of birth and, in the case of pregnant women, their due dates." Democracy Now, in a report today (video below), presents an interview with Tony Yapias, the director of Proyecto Latino de Utah, who said:

Our community has been terrorized by this list. Throughout yesterday, we received dozens and dozens of calls, emails, requests, about whether or not their names have been on the list, from the members of the Latino community. And so, our community is in a state of fear.

Though the true origins of these names and the intentions of those distributing them are not yet clear, this episode -- combined with the immigration law SB 1070 in Arizona -- is part of a growing problem as states and local groups take action against immigrants. These assaults on immigrants' rights make clear the need for comprehensive federal immigration reform that provides equal treatment for all nationwide.

For more information on Utah and Arizona, see the New York Times report on Utah, including the letter sent with the list distributed this week, and our earlier posts on the SB 1070 immigration law in Arizona.

Arizona SB1070 Hits Court: Grantee Legal Momentum Joins Fight

As the restrictions on freedom created by Arizona's SB1070 immigration law become clear, including the potential effects on "women and familes subject to domestic abuse," we see signs of hope in the actions of our grantee partners. Legal Momentum is just one organization out of hundreds that is stepping up and speaking out for the rights of women and children in immigrant and undocumented communities. They have filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of a lawsuit filed in Arizona federal court by the ACLU and others that argues SB1070 "undermines federal civil rights protections for women and their families" who are subject to violence and sexual abuse.

Over the years the federal government has codified laws that protect immigrants and families from arrest and deportation when they seek to report violence or attempt to access programs or services that are necessary for survival, including shelter, emergency medical services, and victim assistance.

The lawsuit argues that SB1070 is a direct infringement on these federally protected rights. Under SB1070 women and families who seek federally protected support services and programs will be in constant fear of the random search by law enforcement that could lead to incarceration or even deportation. Furthermore, the law no longer ensures protection to victims of violence and abuse, but instead punishes victims, producing an environment where fear of persecution accompanies any attempt to report a crime. According to the Legal Momentum, "In their pursuit of detaining undocumented immigrants, Arizona law enforcement is even allowed to stake out rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters, locations even federal law enforcement are strongly cautioned against operating in."

Luckily for these women and all of us, advocates like Legal Momentum are going to court to ensure that women, children, families, immigrants and undocumented people retain the rights they have been granted over years of legal precedent and federal law.

On July 6th the New York Times reported that the Justice Department has initiated legal proceedings against SB1070.

Arizona Governor Signs Racist, Anti-Immigrant Legislation - Join the Grassroots Response

Last Friday, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed the horrific anti-immigrant bill SB 1070 into law, explicitly condoning racial profiling and the criminalization of undocumented immigrants. We're appalled.

Governor Brewer may have signed the bill for her own political gain, but SB 1070 supporters have undoubtedly been capitalizing on and feeding a broader climate of fear and intolerance encouraged by the likes of Fox News and the Tea Party movement (see our upcoming conference call on May 11, "The Right-Wing Backlash"), hoping to inspire similar legislation in other states and stymie federal reform. As we wrote last week, the potential consequences are vast: "This bill wouldn't just undermine the rights of communities of color and immigrants in Arizona, but nationwide."

Grassroots organizations across the country are mobilizing to fight back. Ms. Foundation grantee, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR), has posted four actions to take a stand for justice and human rights. NNIRR will also host a telephone briefing on Wednesday 28 April with more analysis and next steps. [Update: Call canceled; more to follow.] NNIRR will be issuing further statements and alerts for national action. Details will be posted here.

We cannot permit the strong-arm tactics of this law to hijack the immigration debate. Last Friday, President Obama himself criticized the bill, saying it would "undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe."

So join the conversation. Help organize a strong response to Arizona's alarming legislation and promote just immigration reform on a national scale.

Photo: by Elizabeth Rappaport. (detail) Immigration Reform March in Washington, DC, 21 March 2010.