FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2017
Contact: C. Murphy Hebert
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Less than seven weeks after Texas Governor
Greg Abbott signed SB 4 into law, the Arizona Latino Legislative Caucus will
join the nation’s largest gathering of Latino policymakers for a discussion on
next steps during the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed
Officials 34th Annual Conference in Dallas.
The three-day event, which
will take place June 22-24, 2017, at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, will bring
together the Arizona Latino Legislative
Caucus with Texas lawmakers and colleagues from across the country as
Latino policymakers join forces to strategize on how best to protect and
support the immigrant community in the current political climate.
“In Arizona, we know the
fight Texas has on its hands. We have seen similar harmful legislation when Arizona
enacted SB 1070, which was one of the most destructive pieces of legislation that
oppressed an entire community and which had a devastating economic impact in Arizona,"
stated Rep. Diego Espinoza, D-Tolleson (District 19). "The Arizona Latino
Legislative Caucus stands in
solidarity with those who oppose SB 4 in Texas and look forward to joining
colleagues in Texas to discuss a plan of action."
On Saturday, June 24, Arizona Latino Legislative Caucus members will
participate in a special plenary session devoted to the newly signed
legislation entitled, “Supporting the Lone Star State Post SB 4: How Latino
Leaders Can Unite to Combat Anti-Immigrant Laws and Practices.” This plenary session
will explore how different communities are responding to this new paradigm and
how lessons learned from California’s Proposition 187 and Arizona’s SB 1070 can
be applied to best support the immigrant community today and to mobilize toward
increased civic participation.
Following the plenary session,
Arizona Latino Legislative Latino Caucus
members will join Latino policymakers from California, Texas and across the
nation for three working group break-out sessions focused on key issues
relating to SB 4 and other similar anti-immigration measures. The meetings will
focus on policy and legal tools that Latino policymakers can use to support
immigrants, strategies for ensuring the immigrant community knows its rights,
and an examination of the negative impact these laws have on state and local
economies.
A number of Texas Latino
elected officials who led the fight against the SB 4 legislation will be in
attendance with the Arizona Latino
Legislative Caucus during the three-day event, including NALEO President
and Dallas County Treasurer Pauline
Medrano, Texas State Senator and Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus Chair Sylvia R. Garcia, Texas State
Representative and Mexican American Legislative Caucus Chairman Rafael Anchia, Texas State
Representative Cesar Blanco, Texas
State Representative Armando Walle,
Harris County Sherriff Ed Gonzalez and
Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez.
The bipartisan
Arizona Latino Legislative Caucus has 17 members from both the state House and
Senate. Members hold strategic leadership positions and promote legislation and
policies that directly affect Latinos in Arizona. The caucus also encourages
more Latinos to engage in the political process through public policy and
community events.
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