UW-Madison assistant professor Carmen Valdez and graduate student Brian Padilla spoke Thursday after returning from working with Latino families in Arizona last week as state congress members there attempt to pass a controversial anti-immigration bill.
Valdez, an assistant professor of psychology and counseling, and Padilla, a Ph.D. student in counseling and psychology, spoke as part of the nationwide Ethnic Studies Week.
Valdez worked at a clinic through FAST, a resource center in Arizona that helps Latino families cope with hardships because of prejudice.
The clinic held focus groups in response to the proposed bill to talk with Latino families about their experiences due to the immigration legislation and anti-immigrant sentiment.
""It is by far the broadest and the strictest anti-immigration law in history now requiring law enforcement to stop individuals ask them about their legal status and then require proof of their legal status,"" Valdez said.
Valdez said the repercussions of this law are severely affecting Latinos.
""You can only imagine the effects of these immigration laws on these families, the most obvious being deportation,"" Valdez said. ""If your children are U.S. citizens and the parents have to be deported back to Mexico, what happens to these families?""
Alex Wessel, a student in the Latino and Families and Communities, said the lecture made the struggles of Latinos in Arizona more relatable.
""I think listening to this speaker brought emotion into play and makes things seem much more realistic,"" Wessel said.
Valdez said she urges UW-Madison students to get involved in Latino student groups and stand up against the bill.
""I would encourage students to get involved in different organizations that advocate for Latino groups; there are several student organizations on campus that are talking about these issues,"" Valdez said.
