Associated Press
Atlanta (AP) — Carlos Santana used Sunday's annual civil rights baseball game as a platform to admonish Georgia and Arizona over their new immigration laws.
Santana received the Beacon of Change Award before the Braves-Phillies game.
The Grammy-winning musician said he represents immigrants before adding, “The people of Arizona and the people of Atlanta, Georgia, you should be ashamed of yourselves.”
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed a bill Friday that cracks down on illegal immigration in the state. The bill requires many employers to check the immigration status of new employees and authorizes law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of some suspects.
Georgia's new law has some similarities to a law passed in Arizona last year.
“This law is not correct. Actually, it's a cruel law,” Santana said in an impromptu press conference after the ceremony. “This is about fear. Stop shaking and shaking. People are afraid that we will steal your job. No, we are not. You won’t change the sheets and clean the toilets.”
Santana added, “This is the United States. This is the land of the free. If people want the immigration laws to continue to be enforced, then everyone should go out and leave the Indians here.”
Rev. Jesse Jackson presented the Beacon of Life Award to Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks
