Illegal alien zealots are whining and stamping their feet over three commonsense state-level initiatives set for the 2016 ballot in the state of Oregon.
Their three proposals would make English the state’s official language, require people to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, and make employers verify workers’ legal status.
The state legislature would not even consider legislation like this:
The language measure would prohibit public employers from requiring workers to speak anything other than English. Exceptions would include language teachers, lawyers and medical workers. The measure would also require that state business be conducted in English. For the most part, it already is.
The voter registration proposal would make people present a passport, birth certificate or some other proof of citizenship to register.
The last measure would require businesses to use the federal E-Verify program to check whether prospective workers are in the country legally. Employers who don’t could be banned from doing business in Oregon.
Illegal alien lobbying groups are already trying to spin the initiatives. Andrea Miller, director of something known as Causa is leading the charge to prevent these measures from passing.
Miller said the voter registration proposal would kill community registration drives. The language measure, she said, could make it harder for people who don’t speak English to get information on government services, although the wording makes it hard to tell exactly what might change.
She said all three are hostile toward immigrants.
Despite Oregon’s generally pro-illegal alien political establishment, a 2014 initiative to give driver’s licenses to illegals was roundly defeated.
Initiative supporters point out the benefits of these measures:
“If you want to be successful in the United States, you pretty much have to speak English,” Nearman said. “When we coddle people, we’re not doing them any favors.”
As for voter registration, Nearman said asking for proof of citizenship seems “pretty obvious.” Under Oregon’s new motor-voter law, people will be automatically registered when they get or renew their driver’s license — which requires providing proof of citizenship. But those who register by mail or online need only say they’re U.S. citizens — though lying is a felony.
It’s very likely these three measures will be on the ballot in November.