A-Infos (en) US, BAAM #35 of the Boston Anti-Authoritarian Movement - Attacks On Immigrants From Arizona To Massachusetts And A Lesson In Direct Action by Sergio Reyes*

The state apparatus in Arizona has been used to repress and persecute immigrants for a 
while now. The raids and concentration camps of the infamous Maricopa County sheriff Joe 
Arpaio are now known nationwide. Ironically, the head of the federal department of 
Homeland Security under President Obama, Janet Napolitano, is the former Governor of that 
same state. Under her administration things were not different. Arpaio was never 
challenged when he went out hunting immigrants. Racial profiling has been a daily practice 
for the repressive police forces in Arizona. ---- On April 19th, 2010, the Arizona Senate 
passed SB1070, an anti-immigrant racist law that codified what was practiced, expanding it 
with the power of enforcement. Governor Jan Brewer soon signed it.

This law not only allows law enforcement officers to randomly stop “brown people,” it will 
also give them the authority to fine undocumented immigrants $500, and if a citizen 
witnesses any officer failing to stop, harass, probe, or approach anyone that does look 
“undocumented,” that per- son could sue the police officer for failing to carry out his or 
her “duty.” This will cre- ate an apartheid state, where people will be forced to carry 
some sort of identification card which, if you look like an immigrant, you better be able 
to produce one and if un- able, you will be in jeopardy of being imprisoned until you can 
prove you are “legal.” The vote in the Arizona Senate was clearly divide along party 
lines. The Arizona Sen- ate has 12 democrats and 18 republicans. 10 democrats and one 
republican voted against  the racista bill. Two democratas did not vote  and all the rest 
of republicans voted for the  bill.

In Massachusetts—which we all hope is  not like Arizona—on May 24, 2010, a series
of anti-immigrant measures were introduced  as an amendment to the State Budget.
Swiftly and without much discussion  the measure passed the vote of the “most  liberal” 
state in the nation. The number for this  amendment was 127.1. It contained already 
existing measures that denied undocumented  people access to social services and created a 
 24-hour telephone line service where people  could anonimously denounce undocumented 
immigrants.

What is the difference between Massachu-  setts and Arizona? The Massachusett Senate is 
composed of 35 members, of which only five are republicans. Only ten senators voted 
against this anti-immigrant and racist amendment and they were all democrats.
However, 24 democrats and four republicans voted for it.

The Student Immigrant Movement organization decided to react immediately against
this attack and on June 7th they started a 24/7 vigil at the entrance of the Massachu-
setts State House. At the same time they built a support coalition called Mass Hope 2010
(www.masshope2010.com). The support coalition quickly grew to include all of the
 existing immigrant advocacy organizations and progressive union locals and radical
 political parties. The demands to the house of representatives was to eliminate the
 senate amendments from the final budget that would be sent to the governor for signature.
Also, in case that the amendments would not be removed, they demanded that the governor
veto the measure.

A core of young people maintained the vigil for more than 17 days, galvanizing public 
support for their demands. This level of committment and determination is what is
required to confront anti-immigrant measures.
Not surprisingly the staff of organizations, because of the nature of their jobs, were not 
the ones to ants and supporters, stand on the vigil stand on the vigil day and night.
The sacrifices of those who put of those who put their personal comfort on the line 
resulted in the rejection of most of the anti-immigrant amendments included in the budget 
while some remained. Under these circumstances the organizers decided to end the vigil. It 
is clear though that without the direct action headed by the Student Immigrant Movement 
all of these racist measures would have probably passed. Young people gave us a lesson on 
real direct action and we are glad they did. Que vivan los estudiantes! Long live students!

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* Sergio Reyes is Boston May Day committee member (www.bostonmayday.org)
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