LatinNews Daily - 23 June 2011

Arizona: Senator John McCain (R,AZ) was accused of racism on 18 June when he alleged that illegal migrants started the fires which have ravaged much of eastern Arizona. McCain said: "There is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by people who have crossed our border illegally. The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border." US fire investigators said that they had no reason to believe that the fires had been started by illegal migrants. Hispanic activists were quick to criticise McCain, who is generally seen as a moderate on immigration issues in Washington. Representative Raúl Grijalva (D, AZ) said: "Every misfortune is blamed on undocumented immigrants. Senator McCain's comments continue to provoke an extreme anti-immigrant and anti-Latino atmosphere in Arizona. This level of intolerance has reached a new low."

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