No Phillies protesting Arizona immigration law

Some major players such as Albert Pujols of St. Louis are critical of the law. Advocates have not been able to get Philadelphia players to criticize it.

Phillies fans who oppose Arizona’s controversial Senate Bill 1070 plan to rally Tuesday night outside Citizen’s Bank Park as the Phils take on the Arizona Diamondbacks inside. The law requires police there to check the residency or immigration status of anyone they arrest. It allows police to check papers of anyone they suspect is in the country illegally. The group is calling on Major League Baseball to move next year’s All-Star Game out of Arizona because of the law.

Reform Immigration for America has held protests in Chicago, Houston, Denver, and Los Angeles among others, including one outside the office of Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig. But so far, all indications are that Selig isn’t considering moving the All-Star game next year. But that’s not stopping the group from continuing to push baseball to take a stand against Arizona law.

Reform Immigration for America Spokesman Fabricio Rodriguez notes there are more than 15 hundred immigrants playing Major League Baseball, including several Phillies.

“SB1070 allows our local heroes, the Philadelphia Phillies, to be targeted for harassment or even detention if they go to Arizona and they’re suspected of being undocumented.”

Rodriguez says several of Major League Baseball’s long list of Latino players are speaking out against SB1070, including Albert Pujols and Florida Marlins Manager Edwin Rodriguez. So far, though, no Phillies are speaking out.