http://www.katu.com/politics/story.asp?ID=88312

Wasco County politician pushing 'English only' statute

August 9, 2006

- THE DALLES, Ore. - When Jim Lehman, the chairman of the Wasco County Republicans, hears recorded phone messages in both English and Spanish, he doesn't think of melting-pot pluralism, but of an America that could someday unravel because of ethnic tension.
So, at the recent Republican state party convention, Lehman authored a resolution that declares English to be the official language of the Oregon Republican Party, and "strives for passage of law" establishing it as Oregon's official language.

If passed, said Lehman, "the government would be unable to force on private individuals the use of other languages," including translated materials in medical centers or voting booths.

Instead, only English versions would be available.

"The people that are coming here today don't want to assimilate," Lehman said in an interview with The Dalles Chronicle. "They want to maintain their cultural heritage, and force us to teach them in their language."

"It's divisive," he added. "And it's got to stop."

Another resolution authored by Lehman has drawn national attention. It would deny citizenship to the U.S. born children of undocumented immigrants, who in 2002 accounted for roughly 10 percent of all Oregon births.

The resolution would seem to fly in the face of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which grants citizenship to any child born on U.S. soil.

Some of the top brass in the state GOP have distanced themselves from the proposal, including gubernatorial nominee Ron Saxton.

But Lehman argues that the amendment, ratified in 1868, was never intended to extend citizenship to the children of non-citizens.

"If someone is here illegally, they're under the jurisdiction of their country," Lehman said.

Most European countries have ended citizenship-by-birth; Mexico, like the U.S., retains it.

Reactions to Lehman's efforts have run the gamut from approval to outrage, from farmworkers' union president Ramon Ramirez accusing the Republican Party of scapegoating immigrants to State Sen. Jason Atkinson, R-Central Point, agreeing to introduce the English-language resolution during the next legislative session.

Lawyers have said that enforcing Lehman's plan on the U.S. born children of undocumented workers would require the approval of two-thirds of Congress and three-quarters of state legislatures.