MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Eleven countries condemn Arizona’s controversial immigration law

Mexico's Senate President Carlos Navarrete

Eleven countries mostly from Latinamerica on Wednesday signed a declaration condemning the US state of Arizona's controversial immigration law, describing it as “racist and xenophobic.”

The declaration -- signed by Mexico, Ecuador, Uruguay, Panama, Bolivia, Guatemala, Cuba and Chile, plus Turkey, Senegal and the Micronesia federation -- was read to journalists by Mexico's Senate President Carlos Navarrete on the sidelines of the World Conference of the Speakers of Parliaments that convened over a hundred delegations.

“We regret the racist and xenophobic nature of this law which goes against immigration in general and illegal immigrants in particular” said the declaration.

The Arizona law, due to take effect on July 29, makes it a crime to be in the state, which borders Mexico, without proper immigration papers. It also requires local police, who are not federal agents responsible for immigration matters, to determine if people are in the country legally. Many critics charge that this will fuel ethnic profiling.

The US government has filed a suit against Arizona in a bid to block the disputed law slammed by President Barack Obama's administration as abusive and divisive.

“It's an absurd law, which goes against the current times. Those who talk about defending globalization, free markets and human liberties are criminalizing migratory movements,” said Ecuadorian representative Rolando Panchana.

“We are most grateful to the signatory countries for their support in fighting for the derogation of this racist and xenophobic law”, said Felipe Solis Acero, Deputy Speaker of the Mexican Senate.

The declaration acknowledges the efforts of US President Obama for his personal commitment to sponsor an “integral migratory reform”.

Solis Acero said that the low number of supports, and Latinamerican prevalence, can be attributed to the fact the declaration was only drafted Wednesday morning “when most delegations had left”.

He also said he understood the absence of support from European countries since they “are net recipients of migration and this is a thorny issue for them”.

However many of the delegates took the statement with them “to assess its impact and consider new prospects”.

Turkey’s Meylüt Cavusoglu signed as president of the European Parliamentary Assembly.