L.A. City Council to consider $56-million Arizona boycott over illegal-immigration law

The Los Angeles City Council could take a significant step in protesting Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigration Wednesday when it considers up to $56 million in Arizona-related investments the city could boycott.

The list includes airline service into Arizona and the harbor's clean truck incentive program.

Officials are recommending that the City Council suspend travel to the state, refrain from entering new contracts and review current ones for possible termination.

Los Angeles officials joined with other cities across the country in calling for an economic boycott of Arizona after lawmakers there passed a tough immigration law that critics say will lead to racial profiling.

The law, which will take effect July 23, makes it a crime for unauthorized migrants to be in Arizona and requires police to check the immigration papers of those they suspect may be in the country illegally.

The report was prepared by Chief Legislative Analyst Gerry F. Miller, who recommended that the council adopt a revised resolution that expresses city opposition to the use of federal funds to implement the Arizona law, saying it encourages racial profiling, violates constitutional guarantees of due process and equal protection and undermines federal authority over immigration.

The proposed resolution notes that the city imposed economic sanctions in the past to protest such actions as South Africa’s apartheid policies and Colorado’s 1992 repeal of local ordinances that banned discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“This is not just about Los Angeles; it’s a significant response to legislation that hurts a whole slice of the population,” said Councilman Ed Reyes, one of seven council members calling for a boycott. “We hope to create an economic ripple effect not only in dollars but also in sending a message to others concerning the discriminatory effect of this legislation.”

However, the Harbor Department and Los Angeles World Airports expressed concern about possible termination of their contracts with Arizona businesses. The Harbor Department, for instance, has four contracts with Arizona firms totaling $25.6 million, mostly involving a clean truck incentive program.

Under the program, three Arizona firms have brought hundreds of newer short-haul trucks with significantly lower emissions into Southern California. The harbor’s $56-million program is projected to reduce port-related truck pollution 80% by 2012.

“The program has been phenomenally successful,” said Arley Baker, a port spokesman. “We don’t recommend rescinding the contracts due to adverse effects on the environment and public health.”

Los Angeles World Airports has three equipment and maintenance contracts worth $77,000 and receives $22 million in revenue from two Arizona-based airlines -- US Airways and Mesa Air.

"We need to do additional research into our ability to limit Arizona-based airlines from using LAWA airports," said airport spokeswoman Nancy Suey Castles.

Reyes said he also supports a cautious approach to make sure the city would not be sued over any boycott action. The analyst’s report contains several caveats, such as refraining from entering new contracts with Arizona “to the extent practicable and in instances where there is no significant additional cost to the City nor conflict with the law.”

“We still need to be careful how we approach it so we aren’t vulnerable to legal actions that would have a whiplash effect on our general funds,” Reyes said.

-- Teresa Watanabe

Comments

[moon]

Had the city council taken a similar action to try and stem the flow of so many illegals in the first place I really believe they would not find the cities financial debts in such a mess as they are now. The questions is how much has it cost the City of Los Angeles all these years to take care and of their needs not just to mention the impact to the schools and hospitals!! Someone has to pay for all these additional services. And now they want to boycott Arizona.. talk about sticking their heads in the ground.

[jsch0602]

Nice diversionary tactic. Perhaps residents will forget about the local budget problems and the ineffectiveness of Council members.

[Wilbur Valdera]

Whether we like it or not, many Americans support Arizona's efforts to deal with our broken immigration system. Does that mean they hate hispanics or harbor deep racist tendencies? Maybe a few, but the majority of Americans see this as an issue of fairness and common sense. If the federal government is unable to deal with this problem, the states have no choice but to take action, and while it may seem draconian and severe, at least Arizona's governor has the political will to do something about it. Our hard working latino workers are an asset to this country, but why should my friends from India and Korea have to wait 8 years and spend thousands of dollars to come here legally, when others can just cross the border and do as they please?

[Mark]

Why don't these politicians do the job we elected them to and make our city better, rather than bashing what others are doing. They obviously have too much time on their hands and don't know how to appropriate the duties we elected and pay them to do. How are you bettering Los Angeles?
Do your jobs.

[George]

Perhaps the city council will also vote to make LA a nuclear free zone, Save Tibet, deplore the 1992 riots and make today "Read a Book" day in LA. After that could they fire the DWP strip club workers and attend to the projected $400 million defict for next year?

[babs]

get over it, move on to a new story. Everyone knows illegals are killing this country.

[Concerned Angeleno]

Glad to see seven of our city council representatives taking a strong stand against racial discrimination. It's important to make clear that Arizona's misguided "solution" doesn't sit well with the people of our city. Given the precarious state of the LA city budget, Reyes' "cautious approach" will be critical, and of course fixing the issues plaguing LA must be prioritized. But we must also take the time to raise vociferous opposition to a real threat to the civil liberties of our fellow Americans residing and/or visiting Arizona. To paraphrase Mike Huckabee, America is kinda like Disneyland, once you have your ticket, you're in, you don't have to keep on showing your ticket. Something about being forced at any given moment to prove your right to simply stand and breathe on American soil sounds more national socialist than American.

[Jim]

In stead of wasting a lot of time on this I'd love to see our CA law makers grow a pair and follow AZ law. It's about time a state can stand up for itself. Come on CA, lets follow suit and pass a law like the great state of AZ!

[MC]

Can it get any more stupid with this bunch of know-nothings? The American people vastly favors what Arizona is doing, which is nothing more than doing what the Feds will not do. Anyone can see what ILLEGAL immigration - emphasis on ILLEGAL for City Council members that need to be reminded - is doing to this State and our budget. Yet these knuckleheads continue to swim upstream with all this nonsense just to hear themselves sound how policially correct they are .... NOT! Oh and I like this new reference to the illegal: unauthorized migrants. What the heck is that?

[David]

Boycott Arizona? Cancel contracts? Stop investments? Los Angeles is in a deep deep hole of economic troubles and all our city council can worry about is Arizona? Illegal immigration is a costly drain on every aspect of state, county and city financial responsibilities. There is no disputing that. And not just in America, in any country. Illegal immigration is costly. Period. If you oppose new rules on curbing illegal immigration, then offer ideas, but dont' boycott Arizona when the pocketbook pain will only be felt here in L.A.

[Scooter]

At this time, LA might want to do a little more math. A certain widespread backlash boycott against the city could crush its already perilous economy.

[raypro]

What the heck is going on around here?!?!?

FOCUS ON THE PROBLEMS FACING THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES!!!!!!!!!

It's unbelievable that with all the problems facing our city, Mr. Reyes and Ms. Hahn think this is the most important issue to pursue. It is painfully obvious that they like our treasonous, treacherous and traitorous mayor care more for camera time and their own political gain than governing our fine city.

[Joe]

And how much will be wasted on lawyer's fees?

[Boddie Blook]

This is a red herring. The council is simply trying to deflect attention from the catastrophe that is the city's budget. Leave Arizona alone. Worry about how the enormous deficit is going to be resolved while preserving city services.

[Richard Long]

Can I stop paying fees to Los Angeles since I do not support the boycott? LA council does not speak for me!

[Lee]

Just MAYBE the LA CC should focus on avoiding the impending BANKRUPTCY of the city and quit criticizing others...

[Wanda]

Vote over this are you crazy? Arizona law mirrors the Federal law. Uphold it! Support it!

[Michael]

Why doesn't the council solve Arizona's immigration problem by inviting those immigrants to move to L.A.?

[OverTheCoastline]

What exactly is this supposed to accomplish? Liberals are idiots. They have to shove their views down everyone's throats, cry and whine like babies. This anti-immigration law is ALREADY ON THE BOOKS. It is merely being enforced by the state of Arizona, PER THE FEDERAL LAW. If you want to change the law, fine - write a bill to change it. Until then, you have NO RECOURSE. You can whine, you can cry, you can whinny, bleat and moo. No amount of "boycotts" or demonstrations is going to chage the fact that the Arizona legislature and governor have done the responsible thing and made the courageous decision to UPHOLD THE LAW.

Message to L.A. City Council: Quit bellyaching about a law in ANOTHER STATE and focus on taking care of the many, MANY problems here in LOS ANGELES, like we're PAYING YOU TO DO.

[Les hurdle]

With respect, as someone who spent a great deal of money to be a legal immigrant............ I fully support Arizona state......... we have a 'Latino' as a Mayor and we 'all' have to fall in line.

PLEASE.............

LH

[Steve Rodriguez]

God bless Arizona!!!!

[David]

California should be adopting the same Arizona law. How are border states supposed to turn the tide if even the police are not allowed to determine legal status? Should illegals be "home free" once they reach our cities?

Vote out these politicians pandering to the hispanic community instead of the interests of this city & country.

[Frixxter]

Well, considering the City of LA is essentially broke and bankrupt, I don't think anyone is going to miss getting a rubber check from LA.

Their time would be better spent fixing their own fiscal city problems before trying to fix a whole other state.

Not impressive.

[wizowl]

Is the United States still a sovereign Nation or is this Mexico North? Are we still one nation under God? Then why are we going against our own? The Los Angeles City Counsel should NOT boycott Arizona or any other state. Instead California and all the other states need to join Arizona. If we do not close our borders to all these illegal people, then we should just not have any doggone government. Just open the floodgates and we will become nothing.

It is time to practice self preservation and self defense against illegals. That is how this nation got started in the first place -- the native people had no border control. We do need to practice some kind of discrimination.

We don't even have a nation any more. Traveling around town is a nightmare. You can't tell where you are with so much foreign influence. We no longer have a culture due to all the clashes in cultures here, which sets the stage for a Civil War.

[Bruce]

Teresa Watanabe is a mouthpiece for unchecked illegal immigration. "Critics of the law say" but no proponents of the law say.