California No Public Benefits for Undocumented Residents (2010)
From Ballotpedia
A No Public Benefits for Undocumented Residents ballot proposition may be on the 2010 statewide ballot in California as an initiated state statute.[1]
The proposed proposition would deny public benefits to certain US Citizens and to Californian residents who do not have proof of legal residence. It would deny welfare benefits to approximately 100,000 U.S.-born children of undocumented parents who, if they were not in the country illegally, would qualify for public assistance. As a result, some refer to it as the Birth-Certificate Proposition.[2]
Background
It is estimated that there are 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.[2]. California's budget crisis of 2009 is said to be fuelling interest in denying public aid to illegal residents.[2]
Summary
Requires applicants for state, local, and state-administered federal aid to verify lawful presence in United States. Requires applications for public benefits submitted by undocumented parents on behalf of their lawful-resident children to be given to federal authorities. Permits issuance of "Foreign Parent" birth certificate if undocumented mother provides government-issued photo ID, US address, fingerprints, and a record of publicly funded delivery costs. Eliminates benefits for children in child-only CalWORKS cases. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: If upheld in the courts, unknown significant one-time and ongoing costs to state and local governments due to changes in the application process for public benefits as well as unknown but likely significant savings from decreased use of public benefits. Unknown potential one-time and ongoing costs due to changes in the way birth certificates are issued. These costs would be offset to an unknown extent by additional new fees for certain birth certificates. Unknown, but probably minor, state and local law enforcement costs due to provisions in the measure creating new crimes, such as for the filing of false affidavits to obtain public benefits. If upheld in the courts, state savings of over $1 billion annually from prohibiting child-only CalWORKs cases, partially offset by state and county costs for children who shifted to Foster Care or county general assistance programs. Further unknown savings from the provisions changing the application processes for public benefits. (09-0010.)
Supporters
The official proponents are Ted Hilton, Bill Morrow, Bill Siler, and Tony Dolz.
Barbara Coe, who also supported Proposition 187 in 1994 is supporting this measure. She said, "llegals and their children are costing the state billions of dollars. It's invasion by birth canal."[3]
Opponents
The editorial board of the Monterey County Herald wrote on July 17 that the initiative should be blocked by a California court before going on the ballot because:
- "It almost seems designed to create harmful, even hateful, debate without accomplishing a thing."
- A federal court nullified California Proposition 187 (1994) on the grounds that the U.S. Constitution exclusively assigns immigration laws to the federal government, and there is no reason to think that the same thing wouldn't happen to this initiative, if it is approved by voters.[4]
See also
External links
References
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Illegal immigrants again in the budget spotlight", July 10, 2009
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Los Angeles Times, "Immigration debacle", July 15, 2009
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Where do you stand on the proposed ballot initiative to end state benefits for illegal immigrants?", July 13, 2009
- ↑ Merced Sun-Star, "Monterey County Herald: Court should block anti-immigrant move", July 17, 2009
