Thread: Prop 200 supporters seek to restore benefit restrictions

http://www.kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4436420

Jan 31, 2006, 04:46 PM EST

Supporters of an Arizona law denying some government benefits to illegal immigrants rallied Tuesday outside the Arizona Court of Appeals.

That's where they mounted a legal challenge in hopes of strengthening the restrictions.

The advocates for reducing illegal immigration say Governor Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Terry Goddard weakened the voter-approved law by telling state employees that it applied to a limited number of government benefits.

After the law was approved in late 2004, Goddard issued a legal opinion saying Proposition 200's benefits restrictions applied only to some welfare programs.

Napolitano then ordered state agencies to enforce the law as outlined in Goddard's opinion.

Supporters of the law filed a lawsuit asking a state court to declare Goddard's opinion in error, but the case was dismissed.

The judge ruled Goddard didn't abuse his discretion when he issued the opinion, prompting an appeal by the law's proponents.

The Arizona Court of Appeals is considering arguments made Tuesday in the case.

One step forward, two steps back.

I see this type of thing as a major obstacle to obtaining secure borders. If the federal government isn't going to do their job and if the federal government is going to squash states' rights, where will we be ten years from now? It can't be both ways.