WASHINGTON, DC - In the wake of U.S. appeals court ruling upholding a preliminary injunction against key provisions of Arizona's SB 1070, Eliseo Medina, International Secretary-Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union issued the following statement:

Arizona got it wrong when it passed SB 1070. This second federal court ruling reaffirms what we have said all along: immigration is a federal issue and states cannot preempt the federal government's jurisdiction over immigration matters.

"SB 1070 was driven by a cacophony of anti-immigrant noise, not sound policy judgments. By letting heated political rhetoric drive the immigration policy of the state, Arizona got everything wrong.

"Arizona's enforcement only approach did not deliver a quick fix on immigration. Instead, it lost tourists, its businesses lost commerce, and workers and their communities lost economic and social stability.

"When the state Senate tried to bring up more anti-immigrant measures, sixty business leaders in the state recognized that Arizona's economy would be further damaged and the issue must be handled by the federal government. They said, 'Enough.' The state Senate dropped the bills.

"Arizona can get it right by repealing SB 1070. And states wanting to copycat the law should follow the rulings and leave immigration laws in the hands of the federal government."

With 2.2 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy. www.seiu.org

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