Immigrants' rights have been an important issue for the ACLU since its inception in the 1920s. Those rights took a step backwards when Arizona enacted SB1070, a law which infringes federal authority over immigration enforcement by creating a separate, criminal offense at the state level for persons who do not have appropriate immigration registration papers.
Furthermore, SB1070 gives all local Arizona peace officers broad discretion to stop, interrogate and arrest people they reasonably suspect have violated immigration laws, even if the officers have not been properly trained in immigration enforcement. This law permits officers to take race into account when stopping people, inviting racial profiling and heightening distrust of police in the communities they serve.
The ACLU-MN is committed to keeping immigration a civil, federal law, and protecting the fundamental due process and equal protection rights of everyone in Minnesota, regardless of race or national origin.
There are numerous reports that state lawmakers elsewhere are already considering bills similar to that of Arizona's. Even if you think your elected representatives and governor are sympathetic on this issue, they need to hear from you that you will not tolerate a dangerous racial profiling law in your state. Please write your state representatives and governor now.