Group Files Petitions To Put Immigration Initiative On Ballot

An Arizona group opposed to illegal immigration filed signature petitions Thursday to put the measure on the state’s November ballot.

The measure would impose identification requirements for voters and applicants for some government services and require state and local government employees to report immigration violations by applicants for services.

“Governments on all levels — local, state, and federal — should hang their heads in shame to make the people of Arizona go through this ordeal because governments arrogantly refuse to do their duties,” said Kathy McKee, chairman of the Protect Arizona Now campaign.

The campaign said it submitted 190,887 voter signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office, which has until early August to verify whether the filing met the requirement for 122,612 valid signatures. Thursday was the filing deadline.

McKee expressed optimism that the measure would qualify “barring a high rate of invalid signatures,” while opponents who call the initiative divisive and unnecessary predicted the petition drive would fall short.

PAN originally tried to rely on volunteers to collect signatures, but when the effort fell short, the Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform and other groups spent more than $400,000 for paid circulators to collect signatures. The additional signatures were turned over to PAN on Tuesday.

The initiative would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and proof of identification to cast ballots at polling places. The identification requirement would not apply to voters casting early ballots by mail.

It also would require proof of identification and eligibility for applicants for non-federally mandated social services such as welfare.

In addition, it would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to four months in jail for a state or local government employee to fail to report immigration violations by applicants for government services that are not federally required.

Currently, the federal government requires proof of U.S. citizenship for welfare only if state agencies suspect an applicant is an illegal immigrant.

Comments from Readers

From: Matthew Taylor

I predict we in Arizona will pass this measure in november and then the state supreme court will declare it ‘unconstitutional’.

From: Drew

“Currently, the federal government requires proof of U.S. citizenship for welfare only if state agencies suspect an applicant is an illegal immigrant.”

It is outrageous that the federal government would so carelessly leave this avenue to the taxpayer’s money unguarded? I wonder how many state employees are taking bribes to let illegals slip through?

From: Nostradamus Smith

“Currently, the federal government requires proof of U.S. citizenship for welfare only if state agencies suspect an applicant is an illegal immigrant.”

Since when has this mattered? The government considers the offspring of the illegals “citizens” and dutifully doles out the Welfare checks, food stamps, WIC, and everything else in the child’s name. In Southern CA, this is what has led to the spectacle of illegals driving brand new F-350 trucks dropped to the ground, with diamond tuck upholstory and silver bull mud flaps. They work for under the table wages, pay no income tax, and have Uncle Sham foot the rest of their bills; food, housing, and medical. For these primitives, it’s paradise.

The government sees to it that the new population, the new serfs, are well taken care of. A dream come true; a politically apathetic, low IQ “citizenry” that will never, ever challenge the status quo, the position of the elites. They want Latin America to be all of the Americas.

It will all backfire. But it’s a shame that it will have to get a bit worse before things are turned around. Too many white Americans are comfortable. Running after work for a six pack and some rigged sports or anti-white programming on the one eyed bolshevist. It’s coming to their front doors, but they don’t see it, or don’t want to believe it. Whites always have to be backed against the wall before the fighting starts. It’s our general nature.