Melanie Cervantes for Alto Arizona

I just blogged earlier today about the natural alliance between anti-prison activists and immigration activists. A friend just sent me a story by CBS News that highlights the unfortunate intersection between immigration and the prison industrial complex.

Quoting from the CBS News story:

New data from the Arizona Department of Corrections shows that undocumented immigrants are increasingly over-represented in the state’s prison population.

In June 2010, undocumented immigrants represented 14.8 percent of Arizona state prisoners, but accounted for only 7 percent of the state’s overall population according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The new data also revealed for the first time a breakdown of crimes for which undocumented immigrants were incarcerated.

The premise of the CBS story is to figure out whether undocumented immigrants “cause” more crime which is of course DEBUNKED from the FBI data cited in their own story.  What is NOT addressed in their piece is the fact that Arizona is actually CRIMINALIZING immigration status thus “filling up prisons” in that way.

I believe that we have to show more solidarity with the activists who are fighting against the unjust S.B. 1070.  We must do this immediately.  One way to start is to join next week’s National Week against Criminalization Campaign. Colorlines offers many other ways to support activists fighting against S.B. 1070.