Take Action to End Racial Profiling. It's Time to Stop Sheriff Joe

Dear NNIRR members, partners & allies

If you have not already done so, here’s an opportunity to take action to end Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s reign of terror in Maricopa County in Arizona . See below: “Take Action to End Racial Profiling! It's Time to Stop Sheriff Joe.

Arpaio signed an agreement with ICE, the 287 g section of the immigration law passed by the Clinton Administration in 1996 (IRAIRA), which allows immigration-police collaboration. The 1996 laws further criminalized immigration status and is the foundation for the on-going militarization of border and immigration control that has caused thousands of migrant deaths and disappearances on the Arizona stretch of the border.

Migrants’ deadly ordeal does not end once they’re out of the desert. They face a gauntlet of abuse, racism, racial profiling and systemic violation of their rights as shown by Arpaio’s vicious example. The 287 g and other components of the 1996 immigration laws undermine our rights and safety, making our communities vulnerable to abuse and exploitation at the hands of unscrupulous police, employers, hate groups, landlords and others.

Putting the pressure on Arpaio helps expose the nature of how immigration laws and enforcement are destroying the rights of immigrant and refugee members of our communities. Please consider joining in this NDLON action. You can also speak out against 287 g and other abuses by organizing a delegation to meet with your Representative and Senators over the next two weeks when Congress is in a local recess as part of NNIRR’s “Community Days of Advocacy.” 

For Justice & Human Rights, NNIRR

http://nnirr.org/2009advocacy

Take Action to End Racial Profiling! It's Time to Stop Sheriff Joe. Greetings,

In recent months, the hard work of many has raised the profile of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the most infamous Sheriff since Bull Connor, as the ugliest local face of the failed national 287 g program. The Sheriff's march of undocumented inmates in a chain gang the New York Times described as "ritual humiliation" uncovered the racial profiling and terror he's carried out on Maricopa County , and made urgent the need for federal intervention.

Arpaio deputizes vigilante posses to set up check points, dispatches uniformed officers to roam the streets in ski masks, chases janitors with attack dogs and assault weapons, and directs his law enforcement resources at the request of known white supremacists.

40,000 people signed petitions condemning his actions. 5,000 people marched peacefully in Phoenix on February 28 demanding federal intervention to end Arpaio's abuses. Today the House Judiciary Committee investigated the racial profiling inherent in the 287 g program.

Yet, Sheriff Joe continues to terrorize Maricopa County, taunting the federal government, and daring them to act. We say enough is enough! President Obama and his Secretary of Homeland Security, former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, need to sever Arpaio's 287 g agreement now and restore the rule of law to Maricopa County.

Act now! Send this letter to President Obama calling for the termination of Sheriff Joe's 287g agreement!

And join the facebook group "Outraged at Arpaio" by clicking this link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=65929682278&ref=ts

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s): President Barack Obama

Below is the sample letter: We are asking you to work with Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, to immediately terminate the 287 g memorandum of agreement between ICE and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Recently, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's alarming abuses brought to light the dangers of local police departments enforcing federal immigration laws. By now, we are certain you are aware of Sheriff Arpaio's egregious abuses of the law and the subsequent 2,700 lawsuits filed against him.

When local authorities attempt to enforce complicated federal immigration laws, there is a great risk of civil rights violations that endanger the public trust. Residents who are victims or witnesses to crimes become hesitant to approach law enforcement and law enforcement becomes prone to policing based on skin color or Spanish accents as Phoenix Mayor Gordon states is happening in Maricopa County . Sheriff Arpaio is an example of the worst that is possible under the 287 g agreements. His volunteer posses, sidewalks check points, and armed pursuits of janitors has turned Maricopa County into one of the worst sites of racial profiling and human rights violations in the country.

Last month the Congressional Homeland Security Committee reviewed the 287 g program and today the House Judiciary Committee investigated the racial profiling inherent in its implementation. As the President in charge of Homeland Security, we ask that you end this dangerous program starting with Sheriff Arpaio in Maricopa County.

As you have noted, the United States immigration policy is broken. But as you must also know from Secretary Napolitano's time as the former governor of Arizona , Sheriff Joe Arpaio's 287(g) agreement is not part of the solution. Our communities cannot endure more sweeping raids and humiliating chain gangs. We need you to use your power to terminate Sheriff Arpaio's 287(g) immediately and freeze expansion of this and similar programs until you can repeal them entirely. We are hopeful that under your leadership, the federal government will reassert its responsibility to enforce immigration laws in a fair and responsible manner.

Sincerely, Take Action!

What's At Stake:

Sheriff Arpaio is the biggest proponent of former President Bush's experimental 287(g) program which enlisted local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws.

40,000 people signed petitions condemning his actions. 5,000 people marched peacefully in Phoenix on February 28 demanding federal intervention to end Arpaio's abuses. Our voices have been heard. The Department of Justice formally launched an investigation of Sheriff Arpaio. The GAO has declared the 287(g) program a disaster. And today, the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Congressman Conyers, held hearings revealing the 287(g) program has endangered communities and led to racial profiling on a scale this country has not seen in a generation. Yet, Sheriff Joe continues to terrorize Maricopa County, taunting the federal government, and daring them to act. We say enough is enough!

President Obama and his Secretary of Homeland Security, former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, need to act immediately and end this dangerous program, starting with Sheriff Arpaio's 287g agreement. US Immigration policy needs to be fixed and the new administration can start by ending its contract with a racist sheriff.

About the alert creators:

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network exists to improve the lives of day laborers in the United States . To this end, NDLON works to unify and strengthen its member organizations to be more strategic and effective in their efforts to develop leadership, mobilize, and organize day laborers in order to protect and expand their civil, labor and human rights. NDLON fosters safer more humane environments for day laborer, both men and women, to earn a living, contribute to society, and integrate into the community. 

Visit NDLON's website at http://www.ndlon.org

United Students Against Sweatshops is a network of individual students and over 200 affiliate groups of workers, students, and community members in North America who have been organizing for worker justice since 1998. Our National Student Coordinating Committee endorsed this campaign against the 287(g) program in our efforts to stand in solidarity with all those who work for immigrant justice. We fight against a global power system that allows private capital to move across national borders and yet dehumanizes and punishes people for doing the same. 

Visit the USAS website at http://www.studentsagainstsweatshops.org

Campaign Expiration Date: May 2, 2009