National Urban League Suspends Consideration Of Phoenix As Conference Site

NEW YORK  -- The National Urban League has immediately suspended consideration of Phoenix, Arizona to host its 2012 Annual Conference,  President and CEO Marc H. Morial announced today.

"The passage of Arizona's ill-considered immigration law has forced us to suspend consideration of Phoenix," Morial said. "We will not consider  holding our conference anywhere in the state as long as this unfortunate law remains in effect."

Phoenix had submitted a bid to host the National Urban League conference. The location will be announced at the League's 2010 Conference in Washington, D.C., during the last week in July.

Morial said the League is open to consideration of Phoenix should the law be repealed or overturned.

Morial said the law is an invitation to racial profiling and compared it with South Africa's apartheid-era "pass card" law.

 "The bill is repugnant not just to people of color but to all Americans who value fairness, decency, and justice," he said.