By Jon Schuppe
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Mayor Michael Bloomberg, state Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV and city council members have joined a national chorus of public officials condemning a new Arizona law that requires police to check documents of people they suspect to be in the country illegally.
Bloomberg, in an op-ed column in the Daily News, warned that the negative impact of the law could be felt around the country if immigrants decide not to come to America — especially if other states pass similar laws.
“Basic free market economics tells us we need more legal immigrants - immigrants who will start new businesses and help build the foundation for future economic growth,” Bloomberg wrote. “Laws that have the potential to hassle them could prove devastating to our economy.”
Powell, who represents Harlem and East Harlem and is preparing to challenge Rep. Charles Rangel for his seat in Congress, is part of a group of Hispanic Assembly members who say they will travel to Arizona and chain themselves to a border fence in an act of protest. He has also called for New York to stop doing business with Arizona.
Several city council members, including Speaker Christine Quinn, will gather on the steps of City Hall Thursday to denounce the law.
The Arizona law has drawn criticism across the country, from President Obama to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. It is also under review by the U.S. Justice Department to determine if it is constitutional.
