Thread: MA Under fire - Rep. criticized for supporting voting right

Under fire - Rep. criticized for supporting voting rights for illegals
By: Lurdes C. da Silva 04/17/2009
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FRAMINGHAM - Give Massachusetts's undocumented residents the right to vote? Even many immigrant advocates say that should remain illegal.

In recent days, State Rep. Pam Richardson (D-Framingham) has ignited widespread opposition with her idea to give illegal immigrants the right to vote in local elections. To the point she backed down only a day after she said she was in favor of adding the issue to the state Democratic Party's official platform.

"I have been receiving a lot of e-mails and phone calls... I'd say 90 percent are not in favor of this proposal," Rep. Richardson told our sister publication MetroWest Daily News. "It's definitely made me think the whole concept."

Critics say the right to vote should only be given to U.S. citizens.

"I absolutely disagree [with Rep. Richardson's idea]," said Helena S. Marques, director of the Immigrants' Assistance Center of New Bedford. "I believe, however, that we must find a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants. And then, they can become U.S. citizens and vote."

Paulo Pinto, executive director of the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS), headquartered in Cambridge, agrees.

"It's not appropriate," he said. "We need to follow the Constitution and help them [illegal residents] become documented."

Both Marques and Pinto fear that proposals like Richardson's may in the end do more harm than good.

"It can trigger a lot of negative energy and put fuel into the fire," said Marques. "Especially now. The economy is bad and people are blaming immigrants. What we need is comprehensive immigration reform."

Pinto said legislators should not put the "carriage before the horse."

"There is already so much anti-immigrant sentiment, we don't want to create more fear," he said. "We must instead push the immigration reform agenda. The undocumented have a lot more other concerns than voting. They live in fear of being caught. They want to become documented so they don't have to live underground and be subject to abuse or neglect."

Eva A. Millona, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said the voting issue is not a priority for the group, as it has a full agenda - such as backing in-state public college tuition rates for non-citizens and domestic violence prevention programs. The group doesn't support offering voting rights to illegal immigrants, she said.

"When it comes to voting rights with undocumented immigrants, that's where we draw the line," said Millona.

Still, immigrant advocates believe such a measure would benefit not only illegal immigrants but also the community.

"They live in the community and they should be allowed to have their say about things that affect them," said Fausto da Rocha of the Brazilian Immigrant Center in Allston. "They should be heard. Every resident in the community should be heard."

Pablo Maia, a Brazilian-born naturalized U.S. citizen, felt the same way. Maia, a Town Meeting member, said many illegal immigrants could do much more for the community if they'd be allowed to vote.

"There are Americans who don't care about politics and there are immigrants who are very concerned about the town's schools, the budget and the community in general," he said.

Generally, only U.S. citizens can vote in local elections, but there are a few places in the country where that right is also given to non-citizens. In Takoma Park, Md., for example, non-citizens have been allowed to cast their vote on local elections since 1992.

If that city is any indication, illegal immigrants may actually not vote.

A report by the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that favors limits on immigration, revealed that in a 2007 local election of the 455 non-citizens registered to vote, only 10 did.

Rep. Richardson said she stepped forward on immigration because of what she said was the lack of respect offered to illegal immigrants.

"Throughout history, there have been certain groups of people who are not treated with respect and dignity....I see that situation in the way undocumented individuals are treated. I'm uncomfortable with it. I am actively looking for ways to change that," she said.

Rushing's bill would require non-citizens who intended to vote in a community's election to declare that they live in that particular community and intend to become a U.S. citizen if they are eligible.

If Rushing's bill became law, voters would have to approve non-citizen voting in their hometown, according to a text of the measure.

The bill was supported by Richardson, along with state representatives Tom Sannicandro, D-Ashland; Ellen Story, D-Amherst; Thomas P. Conroy, D-Wayland; Alice Wolf, D-Cambridge; Kay Khan, D-Newton; Cory Atkins, D-Concord; and Denise Provost, D-Somerville.


GateHouse News Service material used in this report
http://www.ojornal.com/site/news.cfm?BR ... =461&rfi=9

This will give an opportunity to whoever runs against her in the next election.