About 400 people gathered in the parking lot at Rep. Raúl Grijalva's Tucson office by the end of this morning's rally against Arizona's new immigration law.
Rev. John Fife, retired pastor of Southside Presbyterian Church and a founder of the sanctuary movement, was one of about seven speakers scheduled at the rally. Fife urged those in the crowd to have the courage to stand up to ‘this racist law.'
The law signed by Gov. Jan Brewer Friday gives police broad ability to enforce immigration laws. It's been called the toughest law in the nation to combat illegal immigration.
Grijalva has been an outspoken critic of the measure, drawing significant criticism for his call on a boycott of Arizona. On Friday he closed his office early after staffers said they received several threatening phone calls.
The morning rally is the latest in a series of rallies and marches this week in Tucson and Phoenix.
Adelita Grijalva, a TUSD board member and daughter of Rep. Grijalva, called the law unfair. She also said that the American Immigration Lawyers Association canceled its planned convention in Scottsdale.
Read more in tomorrow's Star
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