AZ State Legislators Team Up With Mexican Counterparts To Challenge SB 1070 in International Court | Verum Serum

AZ State Legislators Team Up With Mexican Counterparts To Challenge SB 1070 in International Court | Verum Serum

Morgen on May 26, 2010 at 4:17 pm

As one of my favorite bloggers would say, it’s come to this (El Semanario via Google Translate):

NOGALES, May 25, 2010 .- To reverse the effects of SB-1070, legislators in Mexico and the U.S. (EU) have agreed to submit an appeal to the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), since this initiative criminalises migration with racial profiling in the state of Arizona.

Amanda Aguirre, state Sen. governed by Jan Brewer, read-after a closed-door meeting in the City of Nogales, “a joint statement announcing the promotion of comprehensive immigration reform” before the U.S. Congress- to enable the safe and orderly flow of migrants, in response to the reality of both nations in labor.

“We will seek to denounce the SB-1070 to the Organization of American States (OAS) through the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (…) in order to determine if the imminent implementation of this legislation violates the human rights of residents Arizona, regardless of their immigration status, “he said.

So not only will Eric Holder and the Justice Department be challenging SB 1070 in federal court, but the law may also be challenged in an international court (IACHR) with the participation of a group of elected officials from Arizona.

There may be precedent for something like this, but if there is I sure can’t think of it. Sure, there were a bunch of anti-war activists who would have loved to bring charges against the Bush Administration at The Hague, but I don’t remember any members of Congress signing up as parties to the complaint.

And where is the U.S. media on this!? This story is in several Mexican news outlets, but I wasn’t able to find a single mention here.

Here’s the full list of conspirators from both sides of the border:

The conclave was attended by U.S. lawmakers: Amanda Aguirre, Linda Brown, Linda Lopez, Manuel “Manny” Alvarez, Manny Ruiz, Martin Porchas, Rick Flores and Rudy Molera.

Representing Mexico: Alfonso Elijah Corichi Claudia, Emma Larios, Ernesto Saro, Guillermo Anaya, Luis Alberto Villareal and Silvano Aureole.

And conservatives are the ones accused of sedition?

Update: It looks to me like this action may have violated the oath of office required of all elected officials in AZ.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the State of Arizona, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of the office of ______________ according to the best of my ability, so help me God (or so I do affirm).

What do you think?

Update 2: Turns out the Nogales International ran a short blurb on this yesterday, and State Sen. Amanda Aguirre’s leadership role in this is also highlighted on the AZ State Senate Democratic Caucus blog. Which is all the more reason to question why the AP or other media did not pick up on this story.

I haven’t yet been able to locate a full copy of the resolution signed by all the parties, but I will post it when I do.