February 09, 2007

Christine Newman-Ortiz: citizenship test is like the poll tax

Last week the group Fair Immigration Reform Movement held a convention (link), and one of the attendees was Christine Newman-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera of Milwaukee. In addition to surrounding someone's house in an act of intimidation, that group is a member of FIRM, as is the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, whose executive director Josh Hoyt also attended. Another attendee was the Reverend James Lawson.

Now for the quote you've been waiting for:

Newman-Ortiz, who also attended the 'Black Brown and Beyond' sessions said immigrants face similar struggles to African Americans shortly after slavery. "The proposed entry tests for immigrants are similar to the poll tax and literacy tests that kept African Americans from getting voting rights," she said. "We want to make a statement that we oppose making these tests more difficult. We want to encourage more people to get involved."

I do too. If you're in Milwaukee, do your best to expose Voces for what they are.

Posted to Immigration2007a at February 9, 2007 08:29 AM

Comments

I will point out the problem with her argument, which is obvious to most readers.

1. Naturalization is not a Constitutional right, unlike the right to cast a vote.

2. It is not discriminatory. The test will be used across the board, for all naturalization applicants, regardless of race, country of origin, sex, or sexual preference.

3. Unlike poll taxes, the test doesn't impose a undue financial burden on the applicant.

4. The questions are fairly simple and not much of an intellectual burden on the applicant.

5. Passing the test is not too much to ask of legal residents who will have a good deal of time to prepare for it.

This is just another non-sensical demand of advocacy groups who oppose any standards for candidate citizens and wish to cheapen it. I'd be surprised to see that this complaint is taken seriously.

Posted by: Horace at February 9, 2007 09:28 AM

Taken from their web page (http://www.vocesdelafrontera.net/), the following is an example of how Voces de la Frontera actively engages in aiding and abetting illegal immigrants in their quest for driver's licenses:

Get your driver license and identification card now!(2007-01-13- Spanish Version - down)

The legislation that was passed last year at a state level, known as AB 69, will take effect on April 1st, 2007. There are three months left for those people who don’t have a social security number to apply for a driver license or an identification card, or to renew these documents. After March 31st, people who don’t have a legal status (or those who have it but don’t have the necessary documents) won’t have the right to get a driver license or an identification card. The new legislation requires all applicants to prove their immigration status.

When applying for a driver license or an identification card, renewal, reissue, or reinstatement, the person must provide proof of his/her name, date of birth, identity and residency in Wisconsin.

Some of the documents used (but not limited to these documents) to prove your name and date of birth are:

Certified copy of birth certificate.
Passport
Driver license or Wisconsin identification card or from a different state, which must be up to date or with four years or less of expiration with the applicant’s picture and signature.
Mexican voter card, with the applicant’s picture and signature.
Some of the documents used (but not limited to these documents) to prove your residency are:

Pay check or stub with your name/Wisconsin address, and your employer’s name/address. Your employer's telephone number may be required for verification. This document shouldn’t have a social security number on it if you’re declaring that you don’t have a social security number when applying for a driver license or identification card.
A utility bill for water, gas, electricity or house phone (not cell phone). An account statement at least 30 days old from a Wisconsin financial institution (account statement must show activity)
An individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) along with the letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) listing your Wisconsin address

Posted by: Horace at February 9, 2007 10:00 AM

Horace,
You overargued in your repsonse to the idiot Newman. All that is relevant is that the US (like any other country) has as part of its right of self-determination the right to decide whom to accept as a member of its community of citizens and on what terms. What these nitwits don't realize is that are denying the basic human rights of the American(read: estadounidenses)people.

Posted by: perroazul del norte at February 9, 2007 09:50 PM