Today, my wife Ellen and I had the privilege of joining hundreds of our fellow community members in the march for fair immigration policies. The march was in protest of the recently enacted, potentially discriminatory immigration law in Arizona, but more than that, it was a deeply meaningful statement about the rights of every person to be treated with basic respect and dignity.
Unfortunately, the Arizona law does little to keep our borders truly safe, while creating a situation that could result in people who are in the US, including citizens of New Mexico who are visiting Arizona, being legally being harassed for the simple fact that they are Hispanic. That's not fair or right.
We must find ways of protecting our citizens from the drugs, weapons and violence that spill over the border, but we must never do so at the expense of the values that America stands for -- respect, dignity and freedom for all. We must never lose sight of our history -- America is a nation of immigrants and it is this rich diversity of cultures that has made us strong.
As your state representative, I pledge to do all I can to prevent New Mexico from ever enacting such a potentially dangerous and discriminatory law as the one in Arizona. More than that, I will work to create and support immigration policies that don't promote racism in the name of false security.
Blessings to you and your family this May Day.
Carl Trujillo
