FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2010

HACU Media Contact
Norma Jean Revilla-García 
210.576.3206

HACU denounces new Arizona anti-immigration law

San Antonio, TX—The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) vehemently denounces the Arizona anti-immigrant legislation signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer today. “This law will turn Arizona into a police state,” said HACU President & CEO Antonio Flores. “It goes against our best traditions of welcoming and embracing people from all corners of the world who seek to contribute to our national prosperity and to achieve the American Dream,” Flores added.

Flores challenges the federal government to remedy the draconian and constitutionally suspect measures of this Arizona law with due expediency. “President Obama and the U.S. Congress should live up to their promise of enacting comprehensive immigration reform without further delay to defuse the potential civil rights and constitutional violations against ‘suspected undocumented individuals’ in Arizona and elsewhere around the nation,” Flores remarked. Although President Obama promised to advocate for the passage of immigration reform legislation, he has not yet persuaded Congress to do so and has not made it a top priority of his administration thus far. The same is true of Congressional leaders who have pledged to drive comprehensive immigration reform but have not acted on their promise.

“The net effect of this new Arizona law will be ethnic profiling of Hispanic Americans and other ethnic minorities. We cannot allow our nation to be defined by this misguided legislation that is likely to exacerbate race/ethnic relations and set us back in our national quest for fairness and equal protection,” Flores commented.

HACU will be calling on other national organizations and corporate partners to take proactive action against the State of Arizona’s economic interest as a means of pressuring the State Legislature and the Governor to reverse their mistaken legislative actions as soon as possible. “HACU was considering holding its Annual National Conference in Phoenix but we will not do so in view of these developments,” Flores added.

HACU has convened a national coalition that includes numerous national collegiate associations and civil rights organizations to advocate for federal comprehensive immigration reform and the DREAM Act before the end of this year.  

About HACU

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) was established in 1986 with a founding membership of 18 institutions. Today, HACU represents approximately 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain and Portugal. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). More information is available at www.hacu.net.

HACU will celebrate its 25th Anniversary when it hosts its annual conference in San Antonio, Texas, October 29-31, 2011.