Press Conference to Be Held April 23

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES
April 20, 2012

CONTACT
Adela de la Torre
213-400-7822; [email protected]

CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS AND PLAINTIFFS LEADING LEGAL CHALLENGES TO ANTI-IMMIGRANT LAWS COMMEMORATE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF ARIZONA’S NOTORIOUS SB 1070

Plaintiffs to Discuss Their Concerns As Supreme Court Takes On Arizona Law

WASHINGTON – Affected individuals, civil rights advocates, and leading litigators will gather outside the Capitol to observe the second anniversary of SB 1070, Arizona’s racial profiling law. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the Department of Justice’s challenge to SB 1070. Plaintiffs in cases that would be affected by a Supreme Court ruling will discuss their concerns about anti-immigrant laws in their states, and press federal legislators for a comprehensive solution to fix our broken immigration system.

WHAT

Press conference to commemorate second anniversary of SB 1070, discuss issues with anti-immigrant legislation.

WHEN

Monday, April 23, 2012, 1 p.m.

WHERE

Capitol Visitor’s Center, Room 200 (House side)
Washington, DC  20002

WHO

  • Paul Bridges, mayor, Uvalda, Georgia, and plaintiff in GLAHR et al  v. Bentley et al., a civil rights coalition challenge to HB 87
  • Marielena Hincapié, executive director, National Immigration Law Center
  • Lisa Navarette, advisor to the president, National Council of La Raza
  • Luz Santiago, church pastor in Mesa, Arizona, and plaintiff in Friendly House et. al. v. Whiting et. al., the civil rights coalition’s challenge to SB 1070
  • Andre Segura, staff attorney, ACLU, and lead litigator in challenges to anti-immigrant laws in Utah, Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina
  • Hilary Shelton, senior vice president for policy and advocacy, NAACP

Karen Tumlin, managing attorney at the National Immigration Law Center and lead litigator inFriendly House et. al. v. Whiting et. al., will be available to answer questions about the lawsuit and the upcoming Supreme Court hearing.

RSVP

Media should RSVP to Adela de la Torre at [email protected] or 213-400-7822.

BACKGROUND

On April 23, 2010, Arizona set off a political firestorm by passing SB 1070, a racial profiling law that was, at the time, considered the nation’s most draconian. The law was quickly challenged by a coalition of civil rights groups, including the National Immigration Law Center, and the federal government. As a result, the most pernicious sections of the law were put on hold. Since then, Utah, Indiana, Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina have followed suit.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in the United States’ challenge to SB 1070. However the Court decides will impact pending cases in other states. The civil rights coalition challenge in Arizona and elsewhere, however, will continue to move forward.

For more information about SB 1070 and the upcoming Supreme Court Hearing, visithttp://www.nilc.org/USvAZimplications.html.