Today thousands of people are expected to converge on the Arizona State Capital in a National Day of Action Against SB1070 called by The National Day Laborer Organizing Network and Puente.

The demands behind the event are urging President Obama to:

We urge President Obama to:

1. Reassert the federal government’s exclusive control over immigration law by making clear that state and local police do not have the inherent authority to enforce immigration law.
2. Immediately suspend and terminate all police-ICE partnerships, including 287(g) agreements and the so-called ‘Secure Communities Initiative.”
3. Direct the Department of Homeland Security to refuse to take custody of anyone charged with violating provisions of SB 1070.

Here’s Isabel Garcia‘s call to action:

¡Alto Arizona! Isabel Garcia from Barni Qaasim on Vimeo.

Isabel Garcia, Pima County Public Defender and Derechos Humanos member speaking out against Arizona’s SB1070. Sign the petition at altoarizona.com and come to the National Day of Action in Phoenix, AZ on May 29, 2010.

On Friday, April 23rd, Governor Jan Brewer joined the ranks of George Wallace and others like him who sought to gain political advantage by encouraging hatred and bigotry. And while Brewer and Sheriff Joe Arpaio may have written themselves into the history books by supporting this repugnant law, they will appear as nothing more than a footnote. Indeed, this chapter of history will be written by the millions of immigrants who assert their place in the American story like all others who came before them. This chapter will be written by a new generation of fearless leaders, like the thousands of high school students who walked out in Phoenix and Tucson, and the nine brave leaders who sacrificed their freedom to prevent and protest the enactment of an unjust and unconstitutional law. It will be written by all of us.

Arizona’s immigrant community is organizing and preparing to mount the political, legal, and economic pressure needed to restore constitutional protections to the state. They need the nation’s help to change the federal policy that allowed for the formation of SB 1070. The simple fact is that the President of the United States has the moral authority and legal obligation to intervene and put an end to SB 1070.

We will try and update throughout the day. If you are participating in the event and want to share your experiences, fotos, and/or videos please leave a comment below or feel free to email us at info@vivirlatino.com