Posted on January 24, 2005

Prop. 200 Spurs Efforts Nationwide

Yvonne Wingett, Arizona Republic (Phoenix), Jan. 24

Arizona’s Proposition 200 is cloning itself across the country, inspiring an imitation in Arkansas and a self-help group to guide similar anti-illegal immigration efforts.

Two of Arkansas’ Republican lawmakers on Friday proposed Protect Arkansas NOW, a Proposition 200 copycat that would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and when applying for public benefits. The welcome reception of Proposition 200 in Arizona has emboldened those lawmakers and grass-roots groups to raise money, collect signatures and strategize to put similar measures before legislators or to a public vote.

They are buoyed by Proposition 200’s national media attention and believe its constitutionality will stand up in court. In addition, Protect Arizona NOW’s Kathy McKee has launched Protect America NOW to help proponents of the measures organize and build a membership base.

“We’ve been contacted by people in every state except for Hawaii . . . saying, ‘How do we do this,’” McKee said. “They wanted to see how the postelection challenge went. When it went according to plan and didn’t drag on forever . . . they said, ‘OK, let’s get busy.’”

{snip}

“We have become a Third World dumping ground,” said Protect Arkansas Now’s Joe McCutchen, a 73-year-old resident of Fort Smith, Ark. “It’s just madness. I’m hoping that we can wake up Americans to defend our sovereignty, the Constitution and save this Republic from this massive invasion.”

{snip}