Thread: CA: Baca's bill would help immigrants with citizenship test

More Mexifornia news.
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Baca's bill would help immigrants with citizenship test
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 10/07/2008 01:19:25 AM PDT


Rep. Joe Baca wants to prepare immigrant high school students to become good citizens.
He introduced a bill last month to create an elective class that would teach immigrants how to pass the U.S. citizenship exam.

The goal of the course is also to make sure students learn the underlying values that guide the nation's democracy.

"It would give them a better understanding of what it means to become a U.S. citizen," said Baca, D-San Bernardino.

Because Congress adjourned on Friday, the bill will have to be reintroduced in the next term, due to start Jan. 23.

The legislation authorizes $150,000 for a pilot program to help schools develop elective classes based on the citizenship exam.

Baca said the bill also would create a path toward citizenship for successful and motivated immigrant high school students.

The congressman indicated he plans to introduce follow-up legislation mandating that any student who passes three years of high-school citizenship classes with a C average or better and maintains good overall academic standing, be placed on a streamlined path for the citizenship test.

The minimum age to take the citizenship test as part of the naturalization process is 18.

"Right now, there's no light at the end of the tunnel for many of these kids," Baca said. "Even if they graduate from high school, they can't get a job and become productive citizens. As a result, many end up dropping out or working under the table."

Several bills previously have been introduced in Congress to allow illegal immigrants to become legal residents and eventually citizens if they graduate from high school and meet other requirements.

Redlands Republican Jerry Lewis is "concerned that this creates a potential (citizenship) pathway for some people that other people wouldn't have access to," said spokesman Jim Specht.

Specht said Lewis' support for Baca's bill would depend in large part on how the legislation is written.

"There's always a chance for fraud in those kinds of programs," Specht said.

Specht said Lewis also wonders what would be taught in the citizenship course that isn't covered in high school American history and civics classes.

"Those classes don't teach a lot about voting and democracy and civic responsibility," Baca said.

The president of the San Bernardino City Unified School District said she hadn't heard or read anything about Baca's bill.

"The concept sounds wonderful," Teresa Parra said. "Anytime you talk about being more civic-minded and being more involved in the process of education, that's a good thing. But I am concerned that if we are going to be asked to provide that kind of program, we would have to make sure it's funded 100 percent, which almost never happens in Congress."


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this is totally insane. The only explanation is really about churning out citizens as quickly as possible and as many as possible all to win a demographic hegemony contest. This is about taking over the United States.

Early retirement for Rep. Joe Baca, time to get a real job like the rest of us Joe and stop pandering for votes from IAs.

Yes it is time for Baca to get the boot!! I don't agree with all of Roberts idea's but he is way better than Baca with a F grade

(Challenger) District 43
John Roberts (Republican)
District Email:
jroberts@fontana.org
Campaign Website:
http://www.johnbroberts.com
Campaign Email:
jbroberts@aol.com
District Address
8353 Sierra Avenue
Fontana, CA 92335
Phone: 909-350-7600
Campaign Address
Post Office Box 881
Fontana, CA 92334
Phone: 909-721-2796
Fax: 909-822-1011

Roberts Immigration stance

No amnesty
Boost border patrol and provide needed resources to effectively safeguard our border
Establish the best physical or technological fence possible to secure our border
No amnesty for illegal immigration
Speed up process for legal immigrants to re-unite with their families
Expand documented worker programs and expand screening to ensure criminals, terrorists and drug dealers are prevented from ever crossing our Border
Increase penalties for assaulting a border patrol agent, establish a data base that bans anyone who participated in assault from ever getting into the US.

Shouldn't they have already passed the citizenship exam(demonstrating they are good citizens) before they are in this country and allowed to attend our schools!!! Unfortunately, because of people like Baca, that's not the case.

Take your bill and shove it Baca! Enough of this insanity!