Mayor Nutter just weighed in on the Supreme Court's decision to strike down key parts of Arizona immigration law. Check out what he has to say below:
Monday, June 25, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STATEMENT BY CONFERENCE PRESIDENT AND PHILADELPHIA MAYOR NUTTER ON THE SUPREME COURT DECISION IN ARIZONA v. UNITED STATES
Philadelphia, June 25, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter released the following statement on the Supreme Court's decision in Arizona v. United States:
"Today's Supreme Court decision in Arizona v. United States provides yet another reason why Congress should quickly pass comprehensive immigration reform. It demonstrates that we cannot fix our broken immigration system on a state-by-state basis.
"The U.S. Conference of Mayors is pleased that the Court struck down three troubling provisions in the Arizona law. We are concerned, however, that the Supreme Court upheld the so-called "papers please" provision, which will have far-reaching consequences for cities. It will compromise the ability of our local police departments to maintain public safety and jeopardize the relationship which they have carefully built with immigrant communities. It will require police officers to spend more time and resources investigating immigration status, leaving them less time and fewer resources to investigate serious crimes. The challenge for mayors and their police departments is to minimize harm and assure immigrant communities that they will not engage in racial or ethnic profiling.
"In its decision, the Court opened the door on a future challenge to this provision after it takes effect, and we hope that will occur with all due speed."
The Conference of Mayors joined with 43 cities and counties and the National League of Cities in filing an amicus brief which urged the Court to uphold the lower courts' injunction of certain portions of the law from taking effect.