Minneapolis, MN - The immigrant rights movement scored a victory in Minnesota. Under pressure from a growing boycott and weekly protests, on July 14 the owner of nine local Jimmy John’s sandwich shops in Minneapolis and the western suburbs signed a public statement condemning Arizona’s anti-immigrant SB1070 law and calling for immigration reform.
The statement signed by franchise president Michael Mulligan says, "We reject Arizona's SB1070 and urge the federal government to repeal this misguided law. We support the passage of just and humane comprehensive immigration reform."
In May the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAc) initiated the Boycott Arizona-MN (BAM!) campaign to build the Arizona boycott in Minnesota. The first target chosen was Jimmy John's Minneapolis franchise owner, MikLin Enterprises, Inc.
Jimmy John's is one of the companies targeted in the national boycott campaign aimed at repealing Arizona's racist and anti-immigrant law, SB1070. They are targeted because company head Jimmy John Liautaud contributes large amounts of money to anti-immigrant Arizona politicians like Joe Arpaio and John McCain, who are staunch supporters of SB1070.
According to MIRAc member Anh Pham, "This is a victory for the immigrant rights movement. It's the first victory we know of against one of the companies targeted in the national Arizona boycott. We made it happen here through a campaign to get hundreds of Minnesotans to sign a petition pledging to boycott Arizona, and through regular protests in front of Jimmy John's in downtown Minneapolis. We hope this helps open the doors to more such victories around the country to force Arizona to repeal SB1070."
Email this Article
Poor Protesting
I don't agree or disagree with the immigration law. I do however disagree with the method of picketing done by this group. The local owners of each franchised Jimmy John's all have different political views and just because Jimmy John believes in the law, does not mean the local sub shops owners and employees feel the same way. Hurting them does no good. Jimmy John's corporate office would be a better choice to picket.
Arizona's SB1070
Besides stepping on the toes on the Federal Aliens and Seditions Acts, I wonder if Arizona's SB1070 might be also infringing upon interstate commerce?
I think both sides of this debate can agree that the issue of undocumented immigrations are largely economic. Therefore, as SB1070 begins to affect the quantity of available skilled labor from the south that almost ALL of the states are beginning to depend on, I wonder how long it could be before some states start to sue Arizona.
Two of the four corner states do not have ready access to the US-Mexican border and so could be the first amongst the States to feel a labor crunch. Ever wonder how that Vegas Hotel room is always spotless? Or how Colorado packs its beef?
If YOU needed to re-tile your kitchen would you choose a meth-addict or a crackhead or Hose A and Hose B from the local Home Depot parking lot? Of course you would go with Hose A and Hose B. It is simple economics. They do quality work at reasonable prices.
Just out of curiosity, how many of you immediately thought "meth-addict=white" and "crackhead=black"? Don't lie. You know you did.
Add your comment