Thread: WA: Minutemen push initiative against illegal immigrants

Minutemen push initiative against illegal immigrants
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Story Published: Aug 26, 2008 at 6:22 PM PDT
Story Updated: Aug 26, 2008 at 7:54 PM PDT

By Bryan Johnson

MONROE, Wash. -- Some in Washington state are so unhappy with illegal immigration they're sponsoring an initiative to require proof of citizenship or proper papers when applying for a driver's license or a job.

They're taking their lead from Arizona, where voters have already said "yes" to similar laws. The effort here is being led by the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.

These are not the historical minutemen. Their cry is not that the British are coming but that the aliens are coming, and the borders are porous.

They've been trying to help seal the border. But on Tuesday came an admission: "Frankly, that hasn't worked," said Hal Washburn with the group.

"The federal government has just shrugged its shoulders and said 'We'll fix it one of these days,' but really they've done nothing," Washburn added.

Washburn says sure, federal officials occasionally make big raids in Oregon, but more is needed.

Under Initiative-409, undocumented workers wouldn't even be able to get a drivers license.

"It would require proof of legal presence. They'd either have to be a U.S. citizen or be in our country legally," Washburn said.

Under the initiative, any firm giving an undocumented worker a job could lose its business license.

To make the ballot, the initiative needs almost a quarter million signatures. Now, if this were a Tim Eyman initiative, they would be signature gatherers everywhere you look. But this is a volunteer effort. They told us they'd be at the Evergreen State Fair. But we didn't find them; they didn't find us.

Latinos say the initiative is punitive, even restricting access to health care. Opponents say it would turn every employer, every doctor into an immigration agent.

"It's a ridiculous suggestion," said Roberto Maestas with El Centro De La Raza, a Chicano/Latino civil rights organization. "It's impossible. I can't see how the citizens of this country in 2008 would think that would help the immigration crunch that we are all facing."

The big problem for this initiative is not just what the sponsors call the liberal views of Washington state. The big problem is the number of signatures they need. With no paid workers the task is at least daunting, if not a job for Superman.

Find this article at:
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/27510714.html

check out the mexican flag part of the URL of el centro de la raza. Call them and of course, press 2 for English. This is sheer disrespect.

El Centro de la Raza



Just some of their funders (from their website):

National Council of La Raza
Bank ofd America
Wells Fargo
United Way
Washington Mutual
Macy's
Home Street Bank
Verizon
Vulcan
SMBA
US Bank