with I-03-2004
A citizens' initiative to require proof of citizenship to register to vote, photo
ID to vote, and proof of eligibility for non-federally mandated public benefits
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PROTECT ARIZONA NOW with I-03-2004 A citizens' initiative to require proof of citizenship to register to vote, photo ID to vote, and proof of eligibility for non-federally mandated public benefits |
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Immigration likely to be key political issue in Arizona By Rob Hotakeinen, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, July 4, 2004 PHOENIX - Lured by the promise of a better life, Mexican immigrants are rushing to Arizona in high numbers, complicating the politics of a state that's expected to play a key role in Nov. 2 presidential election. Once a reliably Republican state, Arizona is now officially up for grabs as Democrats and Republicans are busy wooing Hispanics. In the latest poll by the Arizona Republic, President Bush had a narrow 44 percent to 41 percent lead over his presumed Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry. A separate poll found Hispanics backing Kerry by a margin of nearly 2-to-1. Hispanics, who now make up nearly 25 percent of Arizona's population, could easily decide whether Bush carries the state in 2004, as he did in 2000. But Bush's critics say the president risks alienating conservative voters with his plan to make it easier for immigrants to stay in the United States. The backlash is growing, led by a group called Protect Arizona Now. "Go to the welfare office - you can shoot off a cannon in there and there isn't anybody speaking English," said Kathy McKee, the group's chairwoman. She also opposes the day-labor center, calling it an illegal operation, and is frustrated that federal authorities aren't cracking down on it. Salvador Reza, who runs the Macehualli Work Center in northeast Phoenix, laughs heartily at the idea: "They could do it, but then they would have a war on their hands." He said that's the last thing Bush wants during a re-election campaign... Arizona, which has the second highest proportion of illegal immigrants in the nation, is spending $1.3 billion pe r year to pay for the extra costs of medical care, education and incarceration, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform. The group estimates that at least 425,000 illegal residents are living in the state.... In Washington, many members of Congress have been complaining that the Bush administration is not doing enough to secure the borders, especially since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon nearly three years ago... |
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