(PNS reporting from DIXIE) The City of Morrow, GA voted yesterday to ban “illegal alien paraphernalia.”
City Ordinance 187 — the so-called Press A Tortilla Go to Jail law — is a response to the Supreme Court’s ruling that Arizona SB 1070 was mostly unconstitutional.
The small town (population 4882) banned the sale and use within the city limits of:
“Illegal alien paraphernalia including, but not limited to
- batas,
- molcajetes,
- tortilla presses,
- international calling cards,
- Mexican Coca-Cola and
- Mexican soccer team accessories.”
The news wasn’t well received among Morrow’s small Hispanic community.
Five-year Morrow resident and Mexico native José Luis Gallegos said, “Qué se vayan a la chingada,” roughly translated as, “This is a heinous law.”
Dentist Xochitl Martinez said, “I use a molcajete at home to make salsa, instead of a blender — now, that makes me a criminal.”
The ordinance is modeled on the Georgia penal code outlawing drug paraphernalia. Like drugs, possession, sale or use of illegal alien paraphernalia is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to 12 months in jail, with increasing severity for repeat offenders.
City Council members hope the law will make Latinos feel as unwelcome as possible, but say it is not racist.
Councilwoman Linda Johnston proposed the ordinance because, “The Federal government has abdicated their responsibility to enforce immigration laws and it now falls on the local governments, like Morrow, to confront the growing number of illegal aliens in our neighborhoods. I have here a list of 35 — no, make that 87 — of these criminals and their criminal anchor babies hiding out in our town.”
Lucky for taco lovers, ready-made tortillas are legal — since illegals make tortillas at home. However, the sale of pinto beans would be considered illegal, since pinto doesn’t sound like English — and those beans probably came over illegally anyway.
At the Jefferson Davis Corner Store, grocery manager Sandy Griffith was confused:
We have a Hispanic food section, which has tortillas and pinto beans. Am I now selling illegal items? This law hasn’t been very clear. Is Pace Picante Sauce also now contraband? It’s from Texas, you know. Well, Paris, TX, but still…
Local activists promised to fight the ordinance by organizing the Hispanic community and marching on city hall with a plethora of Mexican flags. Others in Morrow’s Hispanic district were fearful of police raids on quinceañeras, bautizos and Sunday evening carne asadas.
Despite these concerns from the Hispanic community, Johnston was undeterred:
The ordinance is actually a good thing for illegal aliens and the Hispanics. The illegals go back to their country and Hispanics can become real Americans. We can always ban chili peppers if they complain.