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Pushing to save 'Sanctuary' law

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon is urging Latino leaders to oppose a city ballot initiative.

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon is urging Latino leaders to oppose a city ballot initiative that would turn cops into La Migra.

"He's called Latino leaders into his office and told them they have to organize to stop this," says one source who didn't want to be named.  "The Mayor told them they need to raise at least a million dollars to defeat it."

Randy Pullen, a two-time loser as candidate for Phoenix mayor, turned in about 21,000 signatures to the city clerk's office in July, qualifying the measure for the city's ballot.

The ballot question also would require all Phoenix officials, agencies and personnell to help enforce immigration laws.

Phoenix attorney Danny Ortega says a movement against Pullen's petition is under way.

"There is currently some organization, and they are looking into it so they can get ready to oppose it," Ortega says, adding that the initiative is dangerous because it would distract police from their main duty of protecting the public's safety.

Pullen didn't return phone calls from Latino Perspectives.

Pullen was a key backer of  Proposition 200, an Arizona initiative passed in 2005 that requires specific citizen's ID to vote.

Pullen's newest project is called the Protect Our City Now propsition. The proposal targets Phoenix's so-called "sanctuary" status for undocumented residents.

The initiative would require Phoenix to join with Homeland Security to arrest and deport undocumented residents of Phoenix.

Currently, Phoenix police officers can't stop people to ask their immigration status. They can arrest  undocumented immigrants only when they have broken a city or federal law.

Whether the initiative is placed on the November ballot, or in March of 2007, depends on the City Council and the timing and outcome of predicted legal challenges.