Jim Kouri
U.N., Latin America join Obama's attack on Arizona
By Jim Kouri
On Monday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that about eleven Latin American countries — Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Chile — are permitted to submit Amicus Briefs (friend-of-the-court briefs) in the U.S. Department of Justice's challenge to SB 1070, which Brewer signed into law in April, and went into effect in late July, and is considered one of the nation's toughest immigration-enforcement measures.
And now, in what is considered an accusation against the United States and European nations cracking down on illegal immigration, the United Nations released a warning to governments worldwide that they must respect and protect the rights of all "migrants in an irregular situation."
Aimed largely at Arizona's new immigration control law and the recent French expulsions of Roma migrants, the rather amusing U.N. admonition calls upon states to ensure that their laws conform with "international human rights standards and guarantees at all stages of the migration process," according to Judicial Watch, a public-interest group that investigates political corruption.
U.N. officials stated that local governments must protect illegal immigrants' "fundamental rights," including the right to be free from "arbitrary arrest or detention" as well as the right to "seek and enjoy asylum from persecution."
Illegal aliens must also have economic, social and cultural rights, which include health, adequate housing, education and favorable conditions of work," according to the U.N.
States such as Arizona that pass measures to curb illegal immigration are "driven by hostile domestic constituencies," the U.N. asserts. Too often these states address "irregular migration solely through the lens of sovereignty, border security or law enforcement..." Deep stuff from the scandal-plagued group that's largely sustained with American tax dollars, said Judicial Watch founder Tom Fitton.
Buried in the U.N.'s enlightening two-page statement is an acknowledgement that states have legitimate interests in securing their borders and exercising immigration control. However, those concerns cannot trump the obligations to respect international law which guarantees all persons — even "migrants in an irregular situation — the necessary rights to enjoy a "life of dignity and security."
The warning provokes outrage as well as laughter considering the U.N.'s own Human Rights Council is best known for the oppressive regimes that comprise it. Among them are the world's worst human rights violators, including Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, China and Russia. These countries don't even offer their own citizens rights or protections, much less to transitional migrants, according to Judicial Watch.
Meanwhile, Judicial Watch seeks documents pertaining to the Obama administration's contacts with third party organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in making the decision to file the lawsuit.
Judicial Watch specifically seeks the following documents through its FOIA request originally filed on June 17, 2010:
October 8, 2010
On Monday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that about eleven Latin American countries — Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Chile — are permitted to submit Amicus Briefs (friend-of-the-court briefs) in the U.S. Department of Justice's challenge to SB 1070, which Brewer signed into law in April, and went into effect in late July, and is considered one of the nation's toughest immigration-enforcement measures.
And now, in what is considered an accusation against the United States and European nations cracking down on illegal immigration, the United Nations released a warning to governments worldwide that they must respect and protect the rights of all "migrants in an irregular situation."
Aimed largely at Arizona's new immigration control law and the recent French expulsions of Roma migrants, the rather amusing U.N. admonition calls upon states to ensure that their laws conform with "international human rights standards and guarantees at all stages of the migration process," according to Judicial Watch, a public-interest group that investigates political corruption.
U.N. officials stated that local governments must protect illegal immigrants' "fundamental rights," including the right to be free from "arbitrary arrest or detention" as well as the right to "seek and enjoy asylum from persecution."
Illegal aliens must also have economic, social and cultural rights, which include health, adequate housing, education and favorable conditions of work," according to the U.N.
States such as Arizona that pass measures to curb illegal immigration are "driven by hostile domestic constituencies," the U.N. asserts. Too often these states address "irregular migration solely through the lens of sovereignty, border security or law enforcement..." Deep stuff from the scandal-plagued group that's largely sustained with American tax dollars, said Judicial Watch founder Tom Fitton.
Buried in the U.N.'s enlightening two-page statement is an acknowledgement that states have legitimate interests in securing their borders and exercising immigration control. However, those concerns cannot trump the obligations to respect international law which guarantees all persons — even "migrants in an irregular situation — the necessary rights to enjoy a "life of dignity and security."
The warning provokes outrage as well as laughter considering the U.N.'s own Human Rights Council is best known for the oppressive regimes that comprise it. Among them are the world's worst human rights violators, including Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, China and Russia. These countries don't even offer their own citizens rights or protections, much less to transitional migrants, according to Judicial Watch.
Meanwhile, Judicial Watch seeks documents pertaining to the Obama administration's contacts with third party organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in making the decision to file the lawsuit.
Judicial Watch specifically seeks the following documents through its FOIA request originally filed on June 17, 2010:
-
Any and all communications between the Department of Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), concerning, regarding, or relating to Arizona's "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act," also referred to as "Arizona SB 1070."
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
