CO Senate Strikes Down AZ Style Immigration Bill

 SACRAMENTO  -- The Latino Policy Coalition issued the following statement concerning the decision to stand against Arizona-style racial profiling laws by Colorado's Senate State Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

"By voting down SB-54 and SB-129, Colorado has struck a serious blow against those who would persecute minorities, and apply the Bill of Rights selectively," said Latino Policy Coalition Chairman Jim Gonzalez.

"While it is important to stop Arizona-style racial profiling laws from ever being enacted in any state, inaction by the federal government to enact comprehensive immigration reform has caused the center of debate to move to state houses and ballot boxes. At least 31 states have introduced a plethora of increasingly hostile Arizona SB 1070 copycat legislation to legalize racial profiling," continued Gonzalez.

"Until the Congress and President Obama make enacting meaningful immigration reform a priority, other states across the country will consider following in the ill-advised footsteps of Arizona and those that seek to divide our nation. As a nation, we deserve better. Now is the time for the Congress to act," concluded Gonzalez.

ABOUT THE LATINO POLICY COALITION:
The Latino Policy Coalition is a national non-partisan non-profit consortium of the country's leading Latino research organizations and scholars. The LPC analyzes, through nationwide public opinion surveys, policy issues affecting the Latino community. Chaired by former San Francisco City and County Supervisor Jim Gonzalez, the LPC seeks to highlight Latino community views on key national issues; and thus stimulate public policy debate among local, state and national elected officials.