L.A. City Council votes to ban travel and future contracts with Arizona because of tough new immigration law

The Los Angeles City Council, protesting Arizona’s crackdown on illegal immigration, on Wednesday voted to ban most city travel to Arizona and future contracts with companies in that state.

During a morning-long debate on the resolution, council members compared Arizona’s action to Nazi Germany and the beginning of the Holocaust, as well as the internment and deportation of Japanese Americans during World War II. A new Arizona law, which will take effect July 23, will require police to determine whether people they stop are in the country illegally, which critics say will lead to racial profiling.

“Los Angeles the second-largest city in this country, an immigrant city, an international city. It needs to have its voice heard,’’ said Councilman Ed Reyes, one of the resolution’s sponsors.  “As an American, I cannot go to Arizona today without a passport. If I come across an officer who’s having a bad day and feels that the picture on my ID is not me, I can be … deported, no questions asked. That is not American.’’

The action was approved 13-1, with Councilman Greig Smith casting the sole dissenting vote.

The council’s action fell short of a total boycott or canceling all of the city’s $58 million worth of contracts with Arizona companies. Officials with the Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles International Airport expressed concern about potential effects on those agencies. The council asked boards overseeing the port, airport and city utilities to review all contracts with ties to Arizona, however.

LAX receives $22 million in revenue from two Arizona-based airlines -- US Airways and Mesa Air. The port relies on three Arizona firms for new, low-emission big rigs, part of the city’s “clean truck’’ program that is expected to reduce truck-related pollution at the port by 80% by 2012.

-- Phil Willon in Los Angeles City Hall

Comments

[paulman]

I live in Arizona, and it is literally an invasion from Mexico right now. If we didn't take drastic measures, in a few years we would be suffering the same fate as California (where we were natives), with their huge underclass of illegal aliens and their anchor babies suffocating the tax base with their incredible impact on schools, hospitals, and prisons. Will you take our illegals?

[James]

Is the city council serious? This is why I plan on moving out of California. Our local government cares more about the wants and desires of the illegal population than it's legal population.

[S Tota]

California, Los Angeles going down the drain and this joke for a City Council is worried about Arizona.

What part of illegal dont they understand.

[wizowl]

Los Angeles City Counsel, YOU messed up. The majority of American citizens SUPPORTS (read my comment) SUPPORTS THE GREAT STATE OF ARIZONA AND NOT ILLEGAL INVADERS -- and NOW WE DO NOT SUPPORT YOU!! YOUR DAY IS COMING WHEN WE KICK, ALL OF YOU TRAITORS TO OUR COUNTRY, OUT.

As a result of your treasonous vote today the rest of Mexico and beyond will flood us all our and we will have no COUNTRY at all. You inept beings have reduced our citizens to become SERFS.

Thanks a lot,

[Otto]

"During a morning-long debate on the resolution, council members compared Arizona’s action to Nazi Germany and the beginning of the Holocaust, as well as the internment and deportation of Japanese Americans during World War II."

The difference is those people entered those countries *LEGALLY*

What don't Mexicans understand about the word ILLEGAL?

.

[james andrews]

CalPERS and CalSTRS is still profiting from business in IRAN. In violation of the divest IRAN law the pension funds say pressuring the companies they are invested in is enough? Why are we boycotting Arizona when we wont even boycott IRAN?

http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/real_estate/archives/2010/05/pension-funds-w.html

[Joey]

Cowards!

[Chris S. Ervin]

My family has now voted to ban all travel to the city of Los Angeles and to boycott businesses having a Los Angeles address.

[sean]

That what happened when Fed's law became State's Law

[Southoc]

Arizona doesn't want to end up like LA. Broke and crime ridden.

[Steve G]

Let the LA city council take the redwood log out of their own eye and then they can see clearly to take the dust particle out of AZ's eye. Hypocrites!

[Tomas Razinos]

to ed reyes: what is unamerican is millions of foriegn nationals invading our country, spitting on our laws, demanding right to which they are not entitled. and YOU side with them, expecting decent amercians to bend o ver. it is very sad that the people of los angelse will have to pay for decisions you make and won't be held accountable for

[Garry Barnes]

Arizona bill 1070 is 16 page law that mirror Federal law. There no racial profiling in this bill. Please read this bill. Do you really believe Govenor Brewer and 70% of Arizonans are racist? Open border special interest groups always labels anybody that against illegal immigrates has racist. These groups don't want are federal laws enforced.President Obama halted the construction of southern border fence. This border fence help curb Terrorist,drug smugglers,sex and human trafficing, and illegal immigrates that have not passed criminal and medical background checks. America is at war in three Countries Iraq,Afganistan and Pakistan. Why isn't The Border Fence stopped by President Obama front page news.

[michael]

L.A. City Council has it wrong. Real Americans do not support criminal activity.

[zombietimeshare]

A bankrupt city threatening to ban travel it can't afford so as to withhold money it doesn't have. Some threat.

Isn't Arizona the winner under this scheme?

[AZ Supporter]

Los Angeles is only complaining because they are afraid all the Mexican are going to come to Los Angeles and they will have to deal with them. As for the future contracts, who would want to do business with a Bankrupt City anyhow.

[it's time]

What wrong with enforcing our laws. We as a country have to draw the line some where

[Auntie Illegal]

California should follow Arizona law. 12 illegals leaving a factory of job site means 12 jobs for AMERICANS. Those restaurant jobs and fast food jobs ARE AMERICAN YOBS. America is the most welcoming to people that come in the right way and sick and tired of the criminals coming across the border with a map to the welfare departments and pregnant females just ready to drop anchors and then all the relatives become eligible to stay here.

If you like them, fine, take as many as you want, take them home and you support them. I SUPPORT ARIZONA. AND WHOEVER SUPPORTS THE LAW WILL WIN THE ELECTIONS EVERYTIME!!

[JD]

"“As an American, I cannot go to Arizona today without a passport. If I come across an officer who’s having a bad day and feels that the picture on my ID is not me, I can be … deported, no questions asked. That is not American"

Is pure hyperbole.

[teri]

The free ride is over, this goverment needs to get rid of all the free lunches, hud, welfare and to stop rewarding the illegals when they have the ancor baby who gives them more programs. If you are so concerned about them going with out then start a website to SPONSOR AN ILLEGAL FAMILY, let each individual house hold pay! But not me the tax paying legal citizen!

[wizowl]

Los Angeles City Council, YOU messed up. The majority of American citizens SUPPORTS (read my comment) SUPPORTS THE GREAT STATE OF ARIZONA AND NOT ILLEGAL INVADERS -- and NOW WE DO NOT SUPPORT YOU!! YOUR DAY IS COMING WHEN WE KICK, ALL OF YOU TRAITORS, OUT OF OUR COUNTRY.

As a result of your treasonous vote today the rest of Mexico, and beyond, will flood us all out and we will have no COUNTRY at all. You inept beings have reduced our citizens to become SERFS.

Thanks a lot,

[russell]

Hope I can hold on for two more year's,looking forward to selling my business and getting out of Los Angeles,We have a bunch of idiot's running this once great city.

[Ken McKenna]

The city council members who voted for this measure may not care, but this Los Angeles acton is very likely in violation of the Commerce Clause of the federal Constitution, and may well violate other provisions of that document. Council members took an oath to uphold the federal Constitution, but that doesn't seem to mean much to them.

The federal courts have long made it clear that the Commerce Clause prohibits cities and states from discriminating against businesses in other states. Los Angeles can no more legally discrimninate against Arizona businesses than Los Angeles can legally assess a special tax on products made in Arizona and sold in Los Angeles.

It's grotesque that the city council complains without basis that an Arizona law is unconstitutional, and then responds with action that itself is almost certainly a serious violation of the Constitution.

[Alberto]

My, what power we've given to the undocumented citizen.

[Jim]

Jeez. If the L.A. city council is as ignorant about things in Los Angeles as Ed Reyes appears to be about the Arizona immigration law, then it's no wonder we have so many problems here.