California Considers Denying Services to the Undocumented, Again

(from Pacifica News Service)

La Opinión, Posted: Feb 17, 2007

SACRAMENTO — Public services for undocumented immigrants are once again under threat by a bill that is essentially identical to the failed Proposition 187, reports La Opinión. Proposition 187 sought to deny social services, health care and public education to undocumented immigrants. Voters passed the proposition in 1994 but it was overturned by a federal court that found the proposal unconstitutional. This week Republican Assemblyman Paul Cook of Beaumont, Calif. introduced AB271, a similar proposition that would require Californians to provide proof of citizenship when applying for public services or financial benefits. In an interview with La Opinión, Cook emphasized that the proposal is not anti-immigrant because it does not affect those who came to the country legally or are in the process of obtaining legal residency. Héctor de la Torre, Democratic Assemblyman from South Gate, Calif., disagreed, calling the proposal unconstitutional and a political move to appeal to anti-immigrant voters in Cook’s district. Cook’s proposal is the fourth so-called “anti-immigrant” bill proposed by Republican legislators in California this session, reports La Opinión. Last week, Republican Senator Tom Harman of Orange, Calif. introduced SB189 which would demand that the state verify employees’ social security numbers and work permits in the federal Basic Pilot Program. Another bill, SB3, also by Harman, would make it a crime for undocumented immigrants to occupy public and private property in California. Assembly bill AB107, proposed by Republican Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, of Northridge, Calif. would forbid the state to offer public works contracts to anyone who has hired undocumented immigrants. Last year, 10 “anti-immigrant” bills were proposed in California’s state legislature, according to La Opinión. None of them made it beyond their first committee hearing.