El Paso City Council On Reasons For Supporting Arizona Boycott

El Paso City Council members say their boycott of Arizona is not because they support illegal immigration, but because they want to send a message that racial profiling is wrong.

According to City Council members who voted in favor of a resolution denouncing Arizona’s immigration law, Arizona’s S.B. 1070 discriminitates against immigrants and allows for racial profiling.

“We need to enforce immigration lawas and we have federal authorities to do it,” City Rep. Steve Ortega said. “That should not be the job of individual states.”

City Council’s Arizona boycott resolution passed by a vote of 7-1. City Rep. Carl Robinson voted against the resolution.

“Who are we really helping?” Robinson told ABC-7 after the vote. “Are we hurting the little guy or helping the little guy?”

Robinson said he didn’t vote for the boycott because it may start a ripple effect that will hurt the very people the boycott is intended to help.

Despite his opposition, everyone else was on board, including El Paso Mayor John Cook.

El Paso city leaders say they plaon on keeping the boycott in place until Arizona’s controversial immigration law is done away with.