A look into the current immigration human rights movement in Arizona
In looking at the immigrant social movement in the state of Arizona it is important to take think about the effect September 11 had on this country. The aftermath of that event, sent off a wide range of Xenophobia and assumption among Americans at the time. All of a sudden, the country’s leaders began to ask us, “Who is actually coming into this country?” Terrorists, was one of the words they most commonly identified with 9/11, and since there wasn’t an exact answer to that question, a lot of the blame began being put on immigration in the United States. Since Arizona is one of the States along the southern border, a lot of focus was drawn on the growing immigrant population.
One of the most prominent coalition groups involved with pro-immigrant rights is called Puente, headed by Salvador Reza as well as Tonatierra (our mother earth)Community Development Institute and The National Day Laborer Organizing Network. They have been working together with the community to form a "bridge" for immigrant in this country. A Bridge is a structure that spans and provides passage over something. It can be anything from water to inequality. Our community is made of many people because we are classified as being different. For immigrants who come into this country, not only are they not given the same opportunities as most citizens, they are called the terrorists. One of the main objectives that these coalitions adhere by is that equality and justice are essential, unalienable rights that all beings have whether they are undocumented or not. The immigrant population of our society is a population that is criminalized and looked down upon even though they are crucial to the functioning of this country. These coalition groups fight for recognition of these people while denouncing the acts of those who persecute.
In 2001, government officials in Phoenix sought to relocate day laborers to two locations in the valley, the northern community along 25 St and Bell Road and the central community along 36 St. and Thomas. Through lobbying and working closely with city officials, they were able to create a work center in the Northern community. Unlike the Northern community, the southern community did not have the same success because of the strong anti- immigrant opposition that manifested within the area. Off –duty police officers were hired by the Owner of the Furniture store Pruitt’s where the center was trying to be built, to arrest day laborers. Since most of them were undocumented it, many people were affected. Through protest and united organization, they were successful in making the City of Phoenix withdrawal their officers. The Owner would not give up that easy so he hired off duty Sheriff’s Deputies to patrol the area.
In Arizona, the aftermath of 9/11 created a lot of inequality against minorities. One of the reasons dealt with the legislation being passed at the local and national levels. The difference between the city of Phoenix police officers and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is that the sheriff’s office has the authority to engage in 287(g) federal immigration powers which enable them to work as Homeland Security agents as well as I.C.E. agents.
The protests that occurred shortly thereafter were in response to the MCSO involvement with Pruitt’s and the treatment of the day laborers. Since they had the 287 (g) powers to engage I.C.E procedure, they began terrorizing the area and soon the entire valley. In 2006, the immigrant movements took national stage in form of the May Day walk outs from all over the country.
With the Arpaio raids hitting full swing, Puente, Tonatierra, and The National Day Laborer Organization Network began waging a different offensive. It was found that Joe Arpaio’s office was located at the Wells Fargo Tower in downtown Phoenix. The annual cost to keep his offices at the Wells Fargo Tower is more than $500,000 dollars a year, money which comes from tax payers. In the fall of 2008, the coalition began protesting outside the Wells Fargo Tower fall and has continued everyday from 11am to 1pm.
After months of protesting, the Federal Government has began to investigate Joe Arpaio and the procedures of Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office but that has not stopped him from further executing sweeps and separating families.
One of the brightest spots to this movement was when President Obama took office. Last week, an Obama official came to speak with Reza and it was said that there are changes coming.
Mass social Theory
According to Mass Social theory, one of its main principles is that it defends the merit of “high culture,” from what is perceived as the decaying effects of mass commoditization of culture. Mass society is characterized by a nexus of interlocking power elites which manipulate the masses in spite of democratic procedure. Culture is seen as part of the superstructure of ideas determined by society’s economic base “(Frankfurt School). In many ways I can see how Mass Social Theory explains why many social elites would try to do away with culture in America. The culture that quite often mutates once it is filtered through the American way of life is greatly affected. One of the public initiated propositions that passed in 2006 involved making English the primary language of Arizona. What is so important in officially proclaiming English as the Arizona’s language? Who really cares other than people who need to have it reaffirmed in their minds and the minds of others? If you think about who really determines these laws you have to consider the dollar sign associated with those people.
Rational approaches such as resource mobilization and Political process theory
I feel that some rational approaches to the resource mobilization and Political process theory are many times shaped via the given situation. I remember marching in the March protest, and using the given resources we had to make sure everyone could get there. We carpooled, rode bikes, rode the light rail, we tried to use everything we could. When it came to the Wells Fargo Protests, we took the light rail or even the ASU provided shuttles to ASU Downtown and instead of going to class, we protested.
Cultural and emotional approaches
In looking at the effects of the Arpaio’s primary offensives (his crime sweeps), one only does not need to travel far to see the repercussions of his actions. The stories I have heard about how he separates families is so sad and unjust that it makes you wonder how people have gone so far to defend him. The cultural consequences of separating families are that once the heads of the family are detained, awaiting deportation, the children are the ones that are most affected. Since, they cannot be without their parents; they must go with them in order to remain together. The children may even be U.S. citizens but because they don’t have their parents, the emotional strain is strong. I feel that this will the best way to explain the social movement due to the fact that you don’t need to have a profuse knowledge of these theories to know that these families go through a lot.
