“Justice will come. I’m sure.”
That’s what pop-singer and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Shakira, told the AP when asked about newly proposed anti-immigration legislation — like Arizona’s SB 1611 (popularly known as “SB 1070 on steroids”), which would bar illegal immigrants from attending public schools, living in public housing or driving.
“Wherever there is … a kid, who could be the son or the daughter of a Latino immigrant, who cannot attend a school in the United States of America, that kid should be a concern to all of us and our responsibility.” She said.
On Saturday, Shakira was awarded the “2011 Artist of the Year” from Harvard University for her “distinguished history of creativity,” and charitable contributions. The Colombia native used the event to shed light on new anti-immigrant legislation brewing inside Arizona’s state capitol.
Another bill in Arizona seeks to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. if their parents are undocumented immigrants.
Shakira said that legislation like SB 1611 goes against her foundation’s efforts to provide education to poor people around the world. But, she said, Latino immigrants in the U.S. facing various anti-immigrant bills will have “justice” as public awareness about their plight grows.
“I believe we should never think less of the Latino community because it’s a productive force in this country.”
Last year, Shakira met with President Barack Obama and discuessed immigration reform, an act for which she was named by Greg Siskind as “immigrant of the day” on the Immigration Law and Policy blog.
