In Her Words: I Witnessed a Crime Caused by Arizona's Senate Bill 1070

This is the third in our series of testimonies from women and children speaking out against Arizona's SB 1070, 287(g) and other laws and policies that inappropriately implicate state and local police in federal immigration work, reduce community trust in law enforcement, keep victims and witnesses from reporting crimes to police, threaten public safety and separate families. Alma Mendoza is a hard-working business owner and mother of honor roll children; she is also an immigrant victim and witness of domestic violence. She was forced "many times during the nights at 2 or 3 in the morning" to leave her home due to an incident of domestic violence. Alma shares, "Several times I called the police and in two instances the police told me that they could not help me." Alma notes that some immigrant women will not come forward to report crimes to police they don't trust. She asserts, "As soon as this law is enforced, the people will lose all confidence and trust in calling the police.  It has been a week since I witnessed a crime caused by SB 1070, because a husband killed his wife, and she was scared to call the police before that."  

Tomorrow, we'll bring you the last of the testimonies in this series that attempts to give another platform to brave, real women and children who have been abused and dismissed by state and local police attempting to function as immigration agents--and shirking their primary responsibility of serving and protecting their communities. These testimonies were offered before members of Congress who convened an ad hoc hearing on June 10th on the specific impact of Arizona's SB 1070 and related laws on women and children. This hearing was coordinated by several rights' groups including the Puente Movement, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, Family Values at Work Consortium and the AFL-CIO.

In Alma's words:

My name is Alma Mendoza from Phoenix Arizona. In addition to being the owner of my own business, I am also a single mother of three children. Two of them study at DeVry University. The oldest is a criminal justice and law major and also works part-time to help pay for her fees. My second child graduated with high honors from Sunny Slope High School and was recognized for being one of the most outstanding students, exceeding all standards of achievements for the AIM’s test, and was honored with the President’s Education Awards program, a certificate signed by the President.

Now with this law SB 1070 it will have consequences being that I am a survivor of domestic violence for 15 years, something that deeply affected my children and myself. There were many times during the nights at 2 or 3 in the morning where we were forced to leave our home as a result of violence. Several times I called the police and in two instances the police told me that they could not help me. Nonetheless, I kept insisting and every time a problem surged in my house I continued to call the police.

I had the courage of calling the police, seeking for help, and getting out of the cycle of violence, but I know that with this new law, there are going to be many women who will fearfully remain silent. Not only will they be intimidated by their spouses or partners, but by police officers too, an agency that is supposed to exist to protect public safety. I would like to ask you to help us veto this law, because it is a situation where everyone suffers, woman and children alike. This was something I lived through and that I wish upon no one else.

After volunteering with Tonatierra and now with PUENTE for over 10 years walking the streets and collecting testimonies, I have realized that this problem is bigger than what people think. As soon as this law is enforced, the people will lose all confidence and trust in calling the police.  It has been a week since I witnessed a crime caused by SB 1070, because a husband killed his wife, and she was scared to call the police before that. 

Police officers should not be implementing the duties of an agency that does not correspond to them like serving as immigration agents. Instead they should focus on their present duties, which is to arrest people who are actually a danger to the security of the community and not working people. It is my belief that as soon as police begin enforcing SB 1070 the jails will begin overpopulating, things will get out of hand, and people will begin to hurt themselves due to the high tension and stress of leaving behind their children and family. This law would also further bankrupt the state of Arizona, an economy that is already suffering and that would especially affect us residents and citizens. In sum, SB 1070 would affect us all and I believe this is not the solution.