State and federal officials are investigating a letter received by some Southern California Hispanics that says it is a crime for immigrants to vote and tells them they could be jailed or deported if they go to the polls next month.
"It's a very malicious and degrading letter. It's to pull Latinos down and make them afraid," said Benny Diaz, who is running for the City Council in Garden Grove. He said his wife and five other people he knows had received the letter.
The letter, written in Spanish, tells recipients: "You are advised that if your residence in this country is illegal or you are an immigrant, voting in a federal election is a crime that could result in jail time."
The truth is that immigrants who become naturalized citizens can legally register to vote.
In a letter Tuesday to state Attorney General Bill Lockyer, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called the letters "racist" and "despicable," and argued that the perpetrators should be tried for a hate crime.
2006-10-19 10:18:35 · 13 answers · asked by Miladi 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
http://www.dailynews.com/glendale/ci_4508256
2006-10-19 10:19:19 · update #1
The main point... it's illegal for not citizens to vote...
this is 100% true.
Other parts of the letters were false. Legal immigrants do not necessarily have the right to vote... you MUST be a US CITIZEN in order to vote.
Legal immigrant is not indicative to citizen
2006-10-19 10:31:31 · answer #1 · answered by j H 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not racist, or should be considered a hate crime in any way. It has one flaw to the letter, and that is adding illegal right before it says immigrant. Really, I don't see what they can do about it, politicains get on the T.V. and lie to the American public all the time, and most of what that letter said is true, besides it is targeting illegal immigrants and telling them it is illegal for them to vote, so really whats the harm ?
2006-10-19 11:01:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think the letter is only half-wrong, as naturalized citizens can indeed vote. Considering it is California, they should have written in it about a dozen different languages, not just Spanish, as there are a number of non-citizen Asians.
Anold Schwarzenegger is pandering to his liberal base...it is not a hate crime, it is not even a crime, and not racist either, as "hispanic" or "Mexican" are not races.
2006-10-19 10:22:32 · answer #3 · answered by kingstubborn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It IS illegal for illegal aliens to vote in US elections. If you're an immigrant, that means you're on the path to becoming a US citizen. I don't know if you can vote with a green card or not, I'm pretty sure you have to be a bona-fide US citizen to cast a vote in our elections...
I think there is a movement to let Mexico vote vicariously in our elections. I think more than anything else, the pro-Mexico crowd would LOVE to pass laws that would make it easier to get more and more and more and more...you get the idea...people into our country to further influence US policy to be more favorable toward Mexico.
I'd say that proof of citizenship is a good standard to have, you would have thought that was taken care of by registering to vote...but, figure that if they can fake a social security card, they can probably fake a voter ID card, too.
Support the US Border Patrol, and employer enforcement!
2006-10-19 10:23:18 · answer #4 · answered by gokart121 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I think the letter should have only specified illegals, and it should have come from an official source. I believe in jail time for illegals who even try to vote. They don't belong here and should have absolutely no input on how we run our government and who we elect.
2006-10-19 10:24:15 · answer #5 · answered by DJ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
S Miladi questioner, I don't know if it is or isn't. I asked my neighbor who is now a legal resident from Mexico. She didn't take it to be.
I think the point is legal citizens should vote-with that I agree. I don't believe anyone who is not a citizen should have that right.
I did not open link and maybe I am missing something.
Just my view on it.
2006-10-20 04:57:03 · answer #6 · answered by *** The Earth has Hadenough*** 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
well it is illegal if you are not a legal immigrant, it is also illegal if you are not regestered to vote.
I think people read to much into it.
2006-10-19 10:27:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who ever did this should have at least had someone spanish write it for them! Idiots
2006-10-19 10:35:32 · answer #8 · answered by ask me again 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Typical, More La Raza propaganda.
2006-10-19 10:20:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
hey as long as they are legal then vote if not legal-jail them.
2006-10-19 10:24:07 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋