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While many states in America are passing tough immigration laws, California has introduced an initiative that would allow nearly one million undocumented immigrants could live and work openly. The initiative would allow the workers to live openly with little or no fear of
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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Democratic Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes is helping spearhead the measure, which is called the California Opportunity and Prosperity Act.
The proposal was filed last week with the state Attorney General's Office, marking a first step toward a drive to collect the 504,760 voter signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.
Fuentes says the measure is a "moderate, common-sense approach" necessitated by the federal government's inability to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
"I hope this shows Washington, D.C., that if they fail to act, California will take the lead on this critical issue," Fuentes said in a written statement.
In addition, supporters say that the initiative could generate up to $325 million in new tax revenue from undocumented workers that could assist education, public safety and other state programs.
However - even if the majority of Californians support such a measure, its implementation would depend solely upon the federal government agreeing not to prosecute participants.
Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a Republican, blasted the proposal as an attempt to sidestep immigration law, predicting that it wouldn't have a "snowball's chance in hell" of winning voter approval.
"There's a proper process for coming to this country," Donnelly said. "Why don't you respect that?"
Some argue that if the initiative is passed, this would add to the nation's "patchwork of immigration laws" which illegal alien advocates often cite when complaining about states such as Arizona and Alabama which have passed their own anti-illegal immigration laws.
"It would be interesting to see if Obama would sue California for officially creating a sanctuary for those here illegally, the same way he has sued those states that have sought to protect themselves from illegal aliens," Columnist Dave Gibson says.
The proposed initiative would apply to illegal immigrants who have lived in California for four years, have no felony convictions, are not suspected terrorists, pay a fee to administer the program, and can speak English or are learning it.
Mike Madrid, former California Republican Party official, said a committee to stir support and seek donations will be created this week.
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