El Paso Protests Immigration Laws

El Paso - El Pasoans came together in different parts of the city Saturday to protest the new Arizona immigration law.

Protests have sprung up all over the country since the bill was signed into law last week.

"It's very important because if we don't stop the legislation in Arizona, that will spread to Texas, to New Mexico, to California and we will have a border without rights, without civil rights and everybody will be affected," Border Agricultural Workers Director Carlos Marentes said.

For now, only Arizona has adopted such a law but some think it could lead to a dangerous precedent.

"Specifically, it's an anti-immigration sentiment against Latinos and unfortunately, we are seeing other states reacting to this xenophobic law and trying to implement similar laws in other states," Representative Norma Chavez said. "So we should all be concerned."

While some marched near the Santa Fe Bridge this morning, hundreds more protested in front of Republican Party headquarters on Mesa Street.

"We are doing it here in front of the Republican Party Headquarters because what we have observed is that most of this aggression has come from Republicans, at least a sector of the Republican Party," Border Network for Human Rights Director Fernando Garcia said. "In Arizona, Republicans are the ones that passed this racist law. At the national level, Republicans do not want to discuss immigration reform, even here in El Paso."