I’ve been asking the question in Arizona Republic editorial board meetings all year.
Where is the Latino community? Where is the Senate Bill 1070-level blowback for all the hardnosed immigration laws now being proposed?
There have been some protests and even commotions during legislative debate. But nothing like what we witnessed 14 years ago during the SB 1070 upheaval that turned into boycotts and massive protests and marches.
Where is everyone?
Then I got a tip that Alfredo Gutierrez, the biggest name in Arizona Latino activism, is planning boycotts.
So, I called him.
Turns out my tip wasn’t exactly on the mark. He’s not planning boycotts. Not yet. He’s keeping his powder dry.
But he is serving notice that if what Republicans today call the “Secure the Border Act” or House Concurrent Resolution 2060 makes it to the ballot and passes in November, there will be hell to pay.
In truth, he said it more politely.
Nonetheless, he was naming names about who might soon find themselves facing a harsh spotlight, including Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, APS, Intel, the Taiwanese microchip producer TSMC, the banks, Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma.
What Gutierrez, a former lawmaker, former Senate majority leader and powerful activist, had to say on Thursday will likely draw the attention of Arizona business and political leaders.
On the boycotts he said, “There is a lot of discussion at this point. And the example is often made of the boycott that happened on 1070, which was, from our point of view, ... immensely successful.”
But 2024 is different from 2010.
In that year, then-Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law SB 1070, which would make it a state crime to be in the country illegally and to fail to carry immigration papers.
This year’s measure — HCR 2060, modeled after Texas law — would make it illegal to cross Arizona’s southern border anywhere other than a port of entry.
Now in the process of getting referred to the ballot, the measure would cut off public welfare programs to the undocumented and would require prisons to take in those who violate........