AAA Lifts Arizona Conference Ban After State Rejects Anti-Immigration Law
The American Anthropological Association (AAA) will once again consider holding conferences in Arizona after the state’s courts rendered SB1070, a hardline anti-immigration measure, largely unenforceable.
“The law was predatory, unconstitutional and, frankly, just plain mean-spirited,” said AAA President Alisse Waterston. “The AAA has a long and rich history of standing up against policies that discriminate based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion or sexual orientation, and has always been a strong advocate for the well-being of immigrant communities.”
In 2010, after the Arizona State Legislature enacted SB1070, known as the “show me your papers” law, the AAA Executive Board passed a strongly worded resolution pledging the association would not hold conferences in Arizona (except on tribal lands) until the law was repealed or struck down by the courts as unconstitutional.
The U.S. Supreme Court had previously struck down certain provisions of the Arizona law. On September 19, 2016, the U.S. District Court in Arizona entered a permanent injunction barring enforcement of the remaining provisions. With the law’s repeal, AAA’s ban on considering AAA conferences in Arizona is lifted.
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Founded in 1902, the American Anthropological Association, with more than 10,000 members, is the world’s largest professional organization of anthropologists. The Association is dedicated to advancing human understanding and tackling the world’s most pressing problems.
