Oakland City Council passes Arizona boycott

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Oakland City Council passes Arizona boycott

By Rayburn

Oakland Tribune

Posted: 05/04/2010 09:37:43 PM PDT

Updated: 05/04/2010 10:13:17 PM PDT

OAKLAND — Oakland City Council members voted 7-0 Tuesday to boycott Arizona and

Arizona-based businesses, joining a growing movement against the state after it

passed a far-reaching anti-illegal immigration law.

The law, signed April 23 by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, gives police broad powers

to detain people they suspect of being in the country illegally. Though some

changes have already been made to it, opponents say the law still will lead to

racial profiling and harassment of members of the Hispanic community and other

minority groups.

" How do you know if someone is illegal? " said City Council President Jane

Brunner (North Oakland). " They can't answer that question in Arizona. Is it when

someone's in a coffee shop? Is it when they're walking their child to school? Is

it when they're standing on the corner waiting for work? "

The Oakland boycott, with some exceptions, urges city officials not to enter

contracts with or purchase goods from companies with headquarters in Arizona,

calls on city staffers to review existing contracts with Arizona companies, and

aims to keep city employees from traveling to Arizona on official business.

" This can't just be words, " Brunner said. " We have to say, 'What are our

connections to Arizona? What businesses are we working with?' "

Brunner sponsored the resolution along with Councilmembers Quan

(Montclair-Laurel) and Ignacio De La Fuente (Glenview-Fruitvale). De La Fuente

was absent

Tuesday but spoke strongly against the Arizona law last week.

The law has reignited the immigration debate across the country. Supporters

argue it is a warranted reaction in the face of a failed federal immigration

policy that leaves states to deal with the burdens of illegal immigration.

Opponents say it turns back the clock decades on civil rights advancements.

Locally, a group of UC Berkeley students started a hunger strike this week,

calling on UC President Mark Yudof and UC chancellors to denounce the law. San

Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom halted city travel to the state with exceptions for

law enforcement, public health and safety. Members of the San Francisco Board of

Supervisors also have called for a boycott.

Some Bay Area business groups, including the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce,

suggested the boycotts are not the right way to deal with anger over Arizona's

law. The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce stayed neutral Tuesday, and

the Oakland resolution was approved without opposition inside council chambers.