Thread: ANOTHER City Supports AZ!

http://www.ocregister.com/news/law-2578 ... uncil.html


Rancho council declares support for Arizona immigration law
By KRISTY CHU
2010-07-14 20:59:51
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – Council members formally declared their support for Arizona's anti-illegal immigration law by adopting a resolution Wednesday night that expresses the city's support for SB 1070.

Adoption of the resolution also means businesses in the city must begin using the federal E-Verify program, an Internet-based system that allows employers to check on an employee's eligibility to work in the United States, if they are not already enrolled in the program.

Mayor Jerry Holloway, Mayor Pro Tem Tony Beall, Councilman Jim Thor and Councilman Neil Blais voted unanimously to adopt the resolution of support. Councilman Gary Thompson was absent, but left a letter stating his support of the resolution.

"Unchecked illegal immigration has negatively impacted the city of Rancho Santa Margarita, the state of California and our entire nation," Beall said. "I don't believe we need comprehensive immigration reform. I believe we need comprehensive and consistent reinforcement of our nation's existing immigration laws."

Rancho Santa Margarita joins several other Orange County cities in declaring its support for the controversial immigration-reform law, including Costa Mesa, Yorba Linda and Orange. The resolution states that Rancho is not a sanctuary city, but it does not expressly declare itself as a Rule of Law city, either. Holloway had previously said declaring a Rule of Law city was "overkill" and that the language in the resolution was enough.

Council members unanimously expressed their support for the law when the item was first discussed in June, but the council waited to vote on the resolution until they heard from residents. Of the 522 respondents to an online survey at cityofrsm.org as of noon Wednesday, 442 supported the council's decision and 80 did not, according to city staff.

More than a dozen people filled council chambers on Wednesday to hear the council's decision. Some urged the council not to adopt the resolution because they felt it was unconstitutional and may lead to racial profiling.

"You folks here ... want to support a law which on its face is divisive, unconstitutional and a travesty," said Rancho resident William Kirkendale. "I'm 73 years old ... you need to have lived as long as I have to know it's human nature with regard to racism and racial profiling. How you can sit here and support such a law is beyond me."

Holloway responded to concerns of racial profiling by defending the city's law enforcement.

"In terms of racial profiling, I find it odd that we would trust public safety officers to do everything else for us except to make a good decision on how to enforce this law," Holloway said. "We will come and ask them to save our lives, to give their lives to save ours, but we don't trust them to determine who falls under this law or who doesn't? I don't buy that for a second."

But others echoed the council's sentiments.

"The issue of immigration ... silence is consent. Our silence has been taken as our acceptance. The problem has been allowed to grow," said Rancho resident Eileen Riviere. "Out of the many decisions you make every day, there are few as important as the one before us. The city of Rancho Santa Margarita is no longer silent."

Contact the writer: 949-454-7343 or kchu@ocregister.com

Thanks for posting OCAngel. Sometimes it gets discouraging in this state but it is good to see some cities and communities here are trying to abide by the rule of law since the federal government will not.