Legislators denounce attempt to import discriminatory Arizona law to Pa.

By Release May 4, 2010, 3:02 pm 0 Edit

HARRISBURG – State Reps. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, and Angel Cruz, D-Phila., today issued the following statement:

“We are opposed to importing Arizona’s discriminatory ‘show us your papers’ law to Pennsylvania. Such a law leads inevitably to racial profiling and harassment – something neither the state, nor our law enforcement, should take part in. Instead, we should focus on commonsense remedies to worker exploitation such as stronger enforcement of wage and labor laws. Most employers do the right thing, and we must make clear that those who shortchange their employees will pay the price. If we do that, we can eliminate much of the draw for undocumented immigrants while also protecting citizens and legal immigrants.

“At a time when the state budget and local budgets are already stretched due to the nationwide recession, Pennsylvania should not take on the federal responsibility of enforcing immigration law or mandate that struggling local governments do so, and we should not spend money to defend an indefensible law against a constitutional challenge that we would deservedly lose. Instead, we call on President Obama and Congress to act quickly on comprehensive immigration reform.”