The Los Angeles City Council has voted to ban official travel and cancel most future contracts with Arizona because of its controversial new law on illegal immigration.

The Los Angeles Times writes that during today's debate, "council members compared Arizona's action to Nazi Germany and the beginning of the Holocaust, as well as the internment and deportation of Japanese Americans during World War II."

When it takes effect July 23, the Arizona law will require police to check people they suspect of being in the United States illegally. Critics say this will lead to racial profiling.

As for contracts, the city does $58 million in business with Arizona firms. But there are three big multimillion-dollar exceptions to today's boycott resolution: the city's airport, its port and utilities. The council asked the governing boards of those agencies to renew all contracts with Arizona, the Times says.

LAX also receives $22 million from two Arizona-based airlines, US Airways and Mesa Air.

(Posted by Michael Winter)