'We have to keep fighting,' say immigrants in Arizona

By Silvia Ayuso Jul 29, 2010, 9:53 GMT

Phoenix, Arizona - The news that a federal judge suspended Arizona's controversial immigration law spread like wildfire Wednesday among the group of immigrants and activists who had gathered at dawn at the Capitol in Phoenix to protest the legislation.

'It's one of the best decisions ever made by a judge. We are very happy,' said Manuel Martinez, as he waved a photocopied version of the decision by District Court Judge Susan Bolton.

But between the tears of joy, sighs of relief and the victorious shouts of 'Yes We Can!' protesters acknowledged that the temporary injunction was just a 'small victory.'

'We are pleased that we achieved something, but we must continue to struggle, we must move forward, the protests will not stop,' a protester named Diego told the German Press Agency dpa, declining to reveal his last name because he is undocumented.

At the centre of the protesters' concern is that the injunction only suspended parts of the controversial law, which will go into effect Thursday and which remains a reflection of a strong anti- immigrant sentiment around the country.

'It's too early to celebrate,' agreed Juan Martinez, who had journeyed to Phoenix from the California city of Ventura to support the protests.

'It is not yet a victory. Too many people still support this,' he said, referring to the backing of more than 60 per cent of the population of Arizona for the controversial law.

Martinez, who has Mexican parents described the law, known as SB1070, as 'a form of ethnic cleansing.'

'When (Arizona Governor Jan) Brewer signed this law, people began to sell their homes and move out of Arizona, that's what they wanted,' he claimed.

'It's a good starting point,' agreed Nicole Torres, a spokesman for the local group, Promise Arizona (PAZ). 'It's definitely good news for now, but my whole concern is how this law was even allowed to go into effect, how it was even allowed to be introduced and signed. We have to hold people accountable.'

To that end PAZ is organizing a voter registration drive to bring pressure to bear at the polls on the Republicans who backed the bill and to 'change politics in Arizona.'

Though he can't vote, undocumented immigrant Diego agreed that was the way forward.

'We have to keep fighting for us to have respect, for the Latin vote to get stronger, and for more citizens to register to vote,' he said.

'That's the only way we are going to be taken more seriously and to get more respect in the community.'