http://www.miamiherald.com/...

Two or three times a week, truck driver Jesus Serrano hauls loads of Mexican-grown produce from warehouses in Nogales, Ariz., which is just across the U.S.-Mexico border, to distribution centers in Los Angeles.

Serrano plans to stop making the trip now that Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer has signed a stringent anti-illegal immigration bill into law, however, and he's recruited other truckers to join him.

Serrano, the independent owner-operator of a Los Angeles-based trucking company, said that about 70 drivers based in California and Arizona had agreed to stop moving loads into or out of Arizona in protest of the new law. He hopes to get 200 truckers on board for a five-day boycott that will start within 48 hours of the bill's signing.

The law will, of course, require that police stop anyone who may be in the country without documentation and then demand to see their immigration papers, although in truth, ascertaining immigration status properly may take weeks, according to immigration lawyers whom I've spoken with.

The problem with this law, as well, is that it's not Constitutional under the 4th and 6th Amendments, potentially (and possibly the 5th as well), and is widely being questioned in terms of its potential for inappropriate racial profiling of all people who MAY look "like immigrants." Which, in Arizona, means looking Latino.

But boycott?

That term is being flung around a lot. What does it even mean? Is it effective?

Jaime Chamberlain, the owner of two Nogales-based distribution businesses and the incoming chairman of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, said that a boycott by 70 truckers could have a significant impact on freight rates, which would translate into higher prices. He also thought the state would take an economic hit from lost sales revenue.

And not to be outdone by truck drivers, the American Immigration Lawyers Association is also boycotting Arizona.

After all, many say that South African apartheid was ended due to trade embargo and boycott from the United States.

So I suggest we follow the lead of these wise truck drivers, and boycott Arizona-based companies like PetSmart, U-Haul, GoDaddy, US Airways, and Cold Stone Creamery. My husband suggested boycotting Bauxite and wolf shirts and the Tea Party, but I think we've already got that underway. So again, check that link for companies to avoid.

And be sure to tell them why, along with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry:

Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry

1850 North Central Avenue

Suite 1433

Phoenix, Arizona 85004

ph: 602.248.9172

f: 602.265.1262

email: info@azchamber.com

To repeat, and h/t to SciMathGuy for the suggestion so that this one is REALLY clear:

When you decide to boycott Company X...drop a line to Company X as well as to the Chamber of Commerce. Just go to Company X's web site and send an e-mail informing Company X that you will no longer be buying their product because of Arizona's support of racial profiling with the passage of SB 1070.

And be sure, if you boycott traveling there, to tell the Arizona Tourism Board too:

Arizona Office of Tourism

1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 155

Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Phone: 602-364-3700

Fax: 602-364-3701

Toll-free visitor information: 1-866-275-5816

Heck, even if you weren't actually planning on traveling or eating at Cold Stone, you can still give them a call or shoot them an email to tell them you are boycotting Arizona until this law is repealed.

Economic pressure speaks volumes. Sometimes it speaks louder than Civil Rights. A sad and unfortunate truth, but whatever it takes.

And to keep aware of current issues with Arizona's new status as a police state, with updated information about boycotts there, check out this site.

For a final show of solidarity, check out this petition and this one too h/t to Deoliver47

And really, don't take my word for it. From Rep. Grivalja a few days ago:

The governor and legislature are blind to what this bill will really do to citizens, law enforcement and the state economy. Tourists will not come to a state with discriminatory policies on the books. Businesses will not move here. Hispanic workers and taxpayers will leave. If state lawmakers don’t realize or don’t care how detrimental this will be, we need to make them understand somehow. Conventions are a large source of visitors and revenue, and targeting them is the most effective way to make this point before it’s too late.

And just breaking as of 40 minutes ago, Grivalja reiterates:

Congressman Raul Grijalva is leading the charge for big businesses to ban Arizona and spend their convention money in other states.

At a rally held outside his downtown campaign headquarters, Grijalva said on Saturday that economic sanctions may or may not work but will get the nation's attention on the need for national immigration reform. Grijalva is calling for an economic boycott of Arizona and suggesting civic, religious and political groups to spend their convention money elsewhere.

And some local business owners are AGREEING with this boycott:

Business owner Fernando Gonzales said at the Grijalva event that he would support an economic boycott because "there's a higher cause here. There's a moral cause."

For those of us not planning to attend any conventions this year, there's always other forms of economic pressure as well as threatening Arizona's most coveted natural resource: tourism and commerce.

And to support California Truckers to get on board with this action, contact the California Trucker's Association. If anyone has other ideas for Truck Driving Unions to contact, please feel free to share it in a comment and I will update the diary!

Please note: any racially charged slurs will not be tolerated in this diary. The term "undocumented immigrants" is a term used by Progressive Democrats. No humano es ilegal so don't say "i***gal alien" or "i***gal immigrant" here. As PistolSO from PeanutButterPac has written, it's time to retire these terms.Those are so 1850 and rank up there with called African-American people "colored, or worse, in my book. Thanks for the Netiquette and general propiety!

Full disclosure: I volunteer with a small immigrant amnesty group, but they are not aware of my posting this on this site, nor am I paid to blog for them (none of my work is paid). My views presented are entirely my own and do not reflect my long-standing volunteer work in the area of immigration reform. Para los Derechos de los Inmigrantes!

Rec list :) My second time only. Thanks everyone! This is an important issue and I wrote it on the spur of the moment, just feeling ethically moved to do so. Feel free to cross post it anywhere you think would be helpful.

Update:

h/t to Claude

Today's Santa Fe New Mexican newspaperfront pages the call for a boycott of AZ. The president of the City of Santa Fe's Immigration Committee is asking families and businesses to boycott Arizona, an action she hopes will help lead to elimination of a law signed Friday by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. The state law, to take effect in 90 days, is intended to allow Arizona police to identify, prosecute and deport undocumented immigrants. Under the new law, which critics argue is unconstitutional, legal migrants in Arizona must carry at all times paperwork proving their legal status. "This is a very clear demonstration that we need an immigration reform, so that these types of civil-rights violations are not sanctioned by any state," María Cristina López said Friday.

Also, a special shout-out (and must-read) about the problems with this "anti-Mexican" law, as written by an immigration lawyer here.

Finally, it looks like the Los Angeles Spanish Daily Paper, La Opinion, is also advocating strongly for a National Boycott of the State of Arizona.