Posted: 5:58 pm MDT May 1, 2010Updated: 8:28 pm MDT May 1, 2010

EL PASO, Texas — More than a hundred demonstrators took to the streets of west El Paso Saturday afternoon to protest a controversial immigration law passed recently in Arizona.”The reason why we are here is very simple, we are protesting the Arizona law because it’s a racist law, it’s a xenophobic law. But we’re also calling for comprehensive immigration reform,” said Fernando Garcia, with the Border Network for Human Rights.Arizona law SB 1070 now allows local law enforcement in that state to detain and question individuals they have “reasonable suspicion” of being an illegal immigrant.Opponents of the law said it allows police to racially profile and opens the door to constant police harassment.Protesters of all ages held signs demanding the law’s repeal and wore handcuffs to symbolize the law creates a police state.”We’re now required to show and papers in some of these laws that are passed. Are we going to be required to wear a visible identification later on?” said protestor Sebastian Martinez.There were a few who watched the protest who agreed with the law in Arizona.”The federal government needs to do something about it, and it’s not doing it, that’s why the governor of Arizona took the measures into her own hands,” said Graciela Gray.A number of lawsuits have been filed to question the legality and constitutionality of the law.