Written declaration No. 450 | Doc. 12320 | 23 June 2010

Immigration Bill SB1070 of Arizona against human rights

Signatories: Sir Alan MEALE, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Romania, SOC ; Ms Lydie ERR, Luxembourg, SOC ; Mr Alberto ESQUER GUTIÉRREZ, Mexico ; Ms Rosario GREEN MACÍAS, Mexico ; Mr Andreas GROSS, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Ana GUŢU, Republic of Moldova, ALDE ; Mr Mike HANCOCK, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Jim HOOD, United Kingdom ; Ms Sinikka HURSKAINEN, Finland, SOC ; Mr Željko IVANJI, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Mr Carlos JIMÉNEZ MACÍAS, Mexico ; Mr Morgan JOHANSSON, Sweden ; Ms Nataša JOVANOVIĆ, Serbia, NR ; Ms Elvira KOVÁCS, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Ms Francine LALONDE, Canada ; Mr Denis MacSHANE, United Kingdom ; Mr Grant MITCHELL, Canada ; Ms Carina OHLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Yeidckol POLEVNSKY GURWITZ, Mexico ; Mr Giacinto RUSSO, Italy, ALDE ; Ms Maria STAVROSITU, Romania, EPP/CD ; Mr Björn von SYDOW, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Dragan TODOROVIĆ, Serbia, NR ; Ms Maryam YAZDANFAR, Sweden ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

On 19 April 2010, the Governor of Arizona, USA, Mrs. Jan Brewer, enacted the “Safe neighborhoods; immigration; law enforcement”, known as the SB1070 Bill. The immigration laws are federal in nature; the SB1070 Bill is a local one that contradicts this principle. Moreover, it makes irregular migration a crime and allows the police to interrogate and even to arrest any person under suspicion of being an illegal migrant, based on “reasonable grounds”, that is, on their physical appearance, bringing back horrible memories of “facial profiling”. It is very likely to encourage xenophobia towards migrants, especially Mexicans and Central Americans, violating their fundamental rights. They are not illegal human beings.

The Council of Europe is well known for its devotion to defending the values of democracy, protection of human rights and the rule of law as well as its solidarity for its members and observer States when in trouble.

The undersigned members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe call on solidarity against the SB 1070 Bill, which is contrary to its values.