Tribal council unites against immigration law in Arizona

Local News

Discussion

August 17, 2010

By TEDDYE SNELL Staff Writer The Tahlequah Daily Press Tue Aug 17, 2010, 10:58 AM CDT

TAHLEQUAH — The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council Monday night voiced its opposition to Arizona Senate Bill 1070, known as the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, one of the strictest anti-illegal immigration measures passed in decades.

Sponsored by CN Tribal Councilors Julia Coates and Chuck Hoskin Jr., the legislation passed unanimously, and supports measures already approved by the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona and the Tohono O’Odham Nation.

Coates said many Indian people living outside of reservations in Arizona speak only their native tongue, and some are without birth certificates. Under the recently passed Arizona law, many believe Native Americans could be unduly profiled by law enforcement as illegal immigrants.

The Arizona act makes it a state misdemeanor for an illegal immigrant to be in Arizona without carrying the required documents; bars state or local officials or agencies from restricting enforcement of federal immigration laws; and cracks down on those sheltering, hiring and transporting illegal immigrants.

The act was signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer in April, and was scheduled to go into effect on July 29. But a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction that blocked most controversial aspects of the law from taking effect.

“This law raises all sorts of policy issues,” said Hoskin Jr. “It’s unwise to place an unnecessary burden on law enforcement when many departments are already being stretched to their limits. Also, many in the Oklahoma Legislature have voiced their support of the act, and are looking at possibly having a similar law here. This would set a precedent for the Cherokee Nation’s opposition.”

Hoskin said what moved him to support the bill was the fact that another Indian nation had asked for the Cherokee Nation’s support.

“I think there’s a good reason to speak out on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Arizona.”

In other business, the tribal council passed resolutions:

• Authorizing the department of children, youth and family services to submit an application for funding to the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs for emergency youth shelter services. The grant total is $273,628, and requires no matching funds.

• Authorizing the Cherokee Nation Office of Environmental Programs to submit a formal grant application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a Brownfields Job Training Grant. The grant total is $200,000, and requires no matching funds.

• Providing for the donation of surplus office equipment from the Cherokee Nation to Webbers Falls Historical Society Museum.

What’s next

The next regular meeting of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council will be held at 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 13, in the Council Chambers at the W.W. Keeler Complex west of Tahlequah.

Text Only

Local News

Artistic wonders
Anthony Amason understands he sometimes has to push his students beyond their comfort zones so they’ll grow and become successful.

February 3, 2012 2 Photos
Matlock receives five years for rape
A former Tahlequah High School teacher and coach was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after pleading guilty to rape.

February 3, 2012
Some enrollment up; some down
As public schools in Oklahoma suffer further budget cuts , student enrollment continues to increase.

February 3, 2012 1 Photo
Deputy shoots, kills Norwood man
NORWOOD – A Cherokee County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a man Wednesday night after responding to a noise complaint near Norwood.

February 3, 2012
Plumb resigns as CNEC chairwoman
Cherokee Nation Election Commission Chairwoman Susan Plumb announced Thursday she would resign her position on the board, effective Tuesday, Feb. 14.

February 3, 2012
Bypass getting signals
After months of discussions between city and state officials, a Tahlequah intersection notorious for producing injury and fatality crashes is set to receive traffic lights.

February 2, 2012 1 Photo
Johnson seeks appeal of conviction
A Cherokee County man convicted last year of first-degree manslaughter is seeking an appeal.

February 2, 2012
Local opinion: Candidates deserve scrutiny
With the Republican nomination still up for grabs, campaigns of the remaining four men in the fray have called their competitors on the carpet about a number of issues – including releasing tax information, how much they give to charity, and sexual misconduct.

February 2, 2012
Area Tolkien fans eagerly await ‘The Hobbit’
A children’s fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, titled, “The Hobbit,” was published on Sept. 21, 1937. The book followed the journey of a pint-sized humanoid named Bilbo Baggins on his quest to snatch a treasure from Smaug the dragon.

February 2, 2012
Life enrichment
Whether it’s sports, dance, cooking or computers, lifelong learning programs enrich lives and can advance careers.

February 1, 2012 1 Photo
More Local News Headlines

Last year, Cherokee County was hit with severe snowstorms in the winter, followed by devastating floods in the spring. What have you done to protect your property, in case it happens again?

Local News

Search Results

Discussion

Tribal council unites against immigration law in Arizona

Last year, Cherokee County was hit with severe snowstorms in the winter, followed by devastating floods in the spring. What have you done to protect your property, in case it happens again?

Site Map

Contact Us