Thousands descend on Phoenix to protest immigration law

[Paul Harris]

Protesters from several states swarmed the streets of Phoenix on Saturday to rally against Arizona's controversial immigration law.

Sarahi Uribe, one of the organizers for the National Day of Action, estimated 50,000 people were expected to turn out for a five-mile march to the state Capitol.

The new immigration law allows police officers to check the residency status of anyone who is being investigated for a crime or possible legal infraction if there is reasonable suspicion the person is an illegal resident. Critics, including U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, have said the law will promote racial profiling.

Supporters of the bill say its aim is only to enforce federal law. However, critics and supporters of the law seem to agree on one point: that the federal government has not done enough to curb illegal immigration.

The American Civil Liberties Union is leading a court challenge to the new law. Holder, who met with a delegation of police chiefs from Arizona and elsewhere this week to discuss the law, has given no indication whether the federal government would file a legal challenge.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/29/arizona...ion.march/