Thread: Signatures of immigration measure challenged

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Signatures of immigration measure challenged

Monica Alonzo-Dunsmoor
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 25, 2006 12:00 AM

A coalition of mostly Latino organizations is challenging the validity of signatures behind a ballot measure that would reform immigration enforcement in Phoenix.

The group is expected to announce today the details of a lawsuit that will call into question more than 700 signatures behind an initiative on the Nov. 7 ballot. The initiative, if approved, would require Phoenix police officers to enforce federal immigration laws.

Randy Pullen, the initiative's main proponent, said he wasn't surprised or concerned.

"They do this every time," Pullen said, referring to the opposing community groups. "We went through this same drill with Proposition 200. Nothing is going to come of it. The City Clerk's Office did a very thorough job of reviewing the signatures."

Proposition 200 is a voter-approved measure that aims to restrict certain public benefits to undocumented immigrants and prevent them from voting.

Initiative opponents, including We Are America and several state lawmakers, allege that at least 700 signatures approved by the City Clerk are invalid because they come from people who do not live in Phoenix. Only Phoenix residents can vote on the city initiative.

Joel Foster, a spokesman for the coalition, also said that some of the signature gatherers are felons, which state law prohibits.

"The law is set up so that an initiative qualifies based on the support of the people," Foster said. "And if Randy Pullen wasn't able to gather enough signatures, then clearly the people of Phoenix don't support this type of initiative."

David Ramirez, a city spokesman, said that no formal complaints have been filed with the city, nor has it been notified of any legal challenge. He also said that the city doesn't conduct background checks on the people circulating the petitions because they are required to sign an affidavit swearing they are qualified to do the job.

The clerk's office verified that 15,052 of the 23,000 signatures that Pullen's group turned in were valid. At least 14,844 signatures were required to get their measure on the ballot.

Jeff Groshko, 38, of Phoenix, supports the initiative and wants to vote on the issue.

He said the challenge is "taking away power from the people" to decide.

"It's the bigwigs that are against this," Groshko said. "But the illegals are breaking the law, the police can't turn a blind eye to that. The illegals don't belong here."

Critics of the initiative say that Pullen's initiative won't solve the problem of illegal immigration, but residents like Groshko say "we have to start somewhere."

Rep. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, is among the state lawmakers against Pullen's initiative.

"This type of legislation is not going to slow down the number of folks coming across the border," he said. "What this does is hinder law enforcement from their primary responsibility, and that is to protect our neighborhoods and protect our families."


Reach the reporter at monica.alonzo-dunsmoor@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2478.

These folks just keep pushing the envelope. I hope that these organizers are aware that anyone caught voting illegally is automatically deported and they can't come back.
The tide is starting to turn and more and more Americans are becoming aware, and mad.

We were in the Phoenix area when they were trying to get another on the ballot . I don't know if it was Prop 200 or not.

What really floored me was the fact one of the people who debated the proponents of the proposition was a spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce!!!

The proposition dealt with social services for illegals. I also heard some fireman saying, "I don't want to have to ask if someone is an illegal before I rescue them." That was such an assinine statement, I almost barfed.

So the Chamber of Commerce and the firemen were against doing something about illegals - call me naive - but that bothers me.

I agree NewMexican. Since 1986 illegals and big business have been taking advantage of the US taxpayers! It's not racism that is driving people to fight it! It's identity fraud, depression of wages, crime, voter fraud, hospital closings ect., ect..

American legal citizens are sick and tired of the law enforcement turning a blind eye and having to subsidize illegal foreigners in our own country!