The National Border Patrol Council Opposes AFL-CIO’s Position on SB – 1070
Thursday, 20 May 2010
The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) strongly opposes AFL-CIO’s position on provisions of 8 USC § 1357 (g) (also known as 287(g)) and Senate Bill 1070, which was passed by the Arizona legislature and amended by House Bill 2162. Although the NBPC is an affiliate of AFL-CIO, the NBPC was not consulted by AFL-CIO regarding the letter to Secretary Janet Napolitano, Department of Homeland Security.
The NBPC contends AFL-CIO’s request to terminate 287 (g) agreements in Arizona is irresponsible and lacking any factual basis to support their request. The claim that the federal government will be “complicit in the racial profiling that lies at the heart of the Arizona law” is outlandish. SB 1070 specifically prohibits racial profiling: “A law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state may not consider race, color, or national origin in the enforcement of this section except to the extent permitted by the United States or Arizona Constitution.”
In the future, the NBPC urges AFL-CIO to consult with affiliates before taking a position in direct opposition to an affiliate. AFL-CIO should reconsider their irrational policy of supporting lawbreakers (illegal aliens) and initiatives that oppose efforts to enforce immigration laws. Instead, AFL-CIO should consider supporting workers who have a legal right to be employed in the United States.