Rep. Linda Sanchez ignites debate by linking Arizona law to white supremacists

U.S. Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Lakewood) ignited a heated debate when she suggested that Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigration was fueled by white supremacists.

Sanchez criticized the crackdown in a speech before a Democratic group this week.

"The Arizona laws are not a mistake," she said. "They're not accidental or one person's crazy law. There's a concerted effort behind promoting these kinds of laws on a state-by-state basis by people who have ties to white supremacy groups."

Sanchez gave the speech to a Whittier group, and the Whittier Daily News reported it and posted audio as well.

Her comments ignited much controversy. She was criticized by conservative groups and on talk-radio shows  Thursday. A spokesman for Arizona's governor also took issue with the comments.

Late Thursday, Sanchez issued a statement attempting to "clarify" her comments.

"I never said that everyone who supports the Arizona law is a racist or white supremacist," she said in the statement.

The Arizona law requires police to determine the immigration status of anyone they stop and suspect is in the country illegally. It also makes it a state crime to lack proper immigration papers. Top U.S. Justice Department officials have drafted a legal challenge asserting that Arizona's law is unconstitutional because it impinges on the federal government's authority to police the nation's borders.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: U.S. Rep. Linda Sanchez. Credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Jr]

It's about time someone stood up for us Latinos!!!!... And told things just like they are...Linda Sanchez my hero!!

[dude]

Insert foot into mouth.

[Jimmy]

Using this idiot politician's logic I guess we can say those who are against Arizona's immigration law support the Mexican drug cartels. All those hispanics like this fat Sanchez and her sister are on the Mexican drug cartel payroll. They are paid to lobby for the drug cartels so the Arizona law wont interfere with the inflows of drugs to Arizona or other states.

[ms]

Whats funny is when she is screaming white supremacy yet she colored her hair blond. LOL. Talk about hypocrisy.

[Duped Tax Payer]

Does she even understand the law and she is a law maker?

[Mufon]

" 'I never said that everyone who supports the Arizona law is a racist or white supremacist,' she said in the statement."

C'mon Times, so what did she say? Shouldn't the statement or a link to her complete verbiage have been attached? Was it laziness, condensing the story, or concealing something she said that would have made her situation worse? With the Times' track record, I can't think they would withhold a liberal politician's words if it would have been beneficial to them.

[tw]

What an IDIOT! Why do Latino's think that illegal immigration only relates to them!!!!! ARIZONA'S LAW MEANS THAT ANYONE IN THAT STATE ILLEGALLY, DOESN'T BELONG THERE, REGARDLESS OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN! Thats quite presumptuous of her!

[Robbiek]

I love when people show their true racist nature.

[martin]

Rep Linda Sanchez is out of line and should read her own state law before making any comment about Arizona's law. 834a,b and c deals with California and instructs their law enforcment to work with the Federal agencies in enforcing immigration laws just like Arizona's law does. In fact it states that a person's immigration status is to be determined through but not limited to by asking questions of birth place, entrance ports of entrance and other similar questions. So California shutup and leave Arizona alone, which by the way has the right to pass laws that do not over ride federal laws which SB1070 does not. Rep. Sanchez is not only out of line, but is an idiot for making the statement she made.

[sharon]

Has anyone in authority thought to check her papers and see if they are legal?

[John]

Sanchez..how about reading the Law if you can. Only AFTER you are stopped for another violation you are asked legal status. Just like Mexico! Mind your own business Arizona is not your distict.

[barryoloser]

Sanchez- La Raza just called, your club dues are late.
La Raza that all inclusive group whose mission statement is " for the race everything, outside the race nothing"
Sanchez is a brown supremicist

[Boy Scout Dad]

"The Arizona law requires police to determine the immigration status of anyone they stop and suspect is in the country illegally. It also makes it a state crime to lack proper immigration papers."

Another misrepresentation of the facts. Don't break the law, you won't get stopped. Enter the country legally, you won't be illegal. Just a couple of real simple facts.
Looks like Right Wing Conspiracy theories making a comeback.

[Joel Johnson]

What would you expect a "Sanchez" to say?

[joe]

Sanchez wants all to believe that her documented words now do not exist. Good grief! another lying, pandering pol with the ethics and integrity of a rodent after cheese. Can she be recalled?

[Fernando Montes]

Wait, this is coming from someone who probably belongs to an organization with "La Raza" in its name and views the "La Raza" pride as enviable. A new low in levels of self-reflection and humility.

[Stuart]

The real racists are the people who, like representative Sanchez, use this issue as a tool to incite and divide what should be, as a group, Americans. Those of us who came here legally, through a long, drawn out, arduous process are made to follow the law and take years on our pathway to citizenship - to become just plain old Americans. Why should people who enter out country illegally be granted special protection for breaking the law? It just doesn't make any sense. What ever happened to following the law? Representative Sanchez should really take a long hard look at herself in the mirror. Would she be so concerned if the state of Washington or North Dakota enacted such a law to catch illegals from north of the border? Probably not. She is what she is.

[scooter]

How in the world do this woman and her sister keep getting elected?

[the watchman]

what racist...facist comments coming from this mexican...im shocked to hear such trash from this trash talker. she has been advocating open borders since she was elected in that mexican district she represents...she is dangerous and needs to be thrown out of office as a bigot and racist!!!

[jim]

This shows everyone what a biased and racist person Rep Sanchez really is, amen.

[Judy]

She isn't bright enough to clarify anything/ Classic example of a candidate chosen for ethnicity and not ability. By the way, because she is white, is she considered one of the white supremacists?

[sailbyme]

No comments? Yeah right. Viva censorship.

[valerie]

what's with this woman. she isn't very informed. does she really think this? outside of that, does she really think that not having such a law is a good thing? look at the state of california, and just think where it might be if not for all the monies spent on illegals. get real woman, start thinking about the legal citizens of california and stop reaching for stupid lies to sway people into thinking as you.

[Ron]

Heard someone say the other day, "When did illegal become a race?"

[kristin]

Why does Sanchez thinks that only white people oppose illegal immigration? Many Americans of all backgrounds, including many Latinos, oppose illegal immigration.

I'd also like to hear her criticize Mexico's even harsher policy against illegal immigrants entering Mexico from Central America. Perhaps she thinks those policies were designed by white supremacists in Mexico.