Immigrant groups seek funding for support centers
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AP
Published: May 29, 2008
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP)—Immigrant groups and officials from Maryland and Virginia are seeking $15 million to help hundreds of thousands of eligible area immigrants become citizens.
Arlington County Board Chairman J. Walter Tejada says the proposal aims to help legal permanent residents become U.S. citizens and full participants in society.
The plan would use federal, state, county and private sources to create “naturalization support centers” in the area. It was largely developed by the advocacy groups CASA de Maryland and Tenants and Workers United of Northern Virginia.
The centers would refer legal permanent residents to English classes and offer legal counseling. They would also provide test preparation and assistance with filling out applications.
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Posted by ( Vic ) on May 30, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I might be in favor of such a program—but only if it were self-supporting—that is, funded exclusively by the people it benefits and their supporters. But what appears to be happening here is that program sponsors seek to draw on public (taxpayer) funding to support their private interests. Especially given the presumption that most new immigrants should be self-supporting, as well as the realization that there are so many other higher priorities demanding public attention and funding, it really doesn’t make much sense to seek a taxpayer handout for this initiative. So how much exactly are these immigrant advocacy groups willing to provide in the way of their own funding for this idea? (I also suspect their “envisioned” $15 million pricetag severely underestimates the true costs of this initiative.)
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Posted by ( litehouse08 ) on May 30, 2008 at 12:10 pm
We all know where the funding will go and you can be sure it won’t go to the proposed centers. There will never be enough funding for it. They will ask for more because it will be used for the illegals benefit too (mostly)
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Posted by ( drwho ) on May 30, 2008 at 6:27 am
If someone is here leglly why would they need “legal counseling”?
What have immagrants been doing for the last hundred years without these centers and why do they need them now?
In my opinion the resources of these purposed centers will be turned to the illegals, not the purpose stated.
It is also hard to believe there are 100s of thousands of legal immagrants in this area as stated in the article. If so the laws need to be reviewed.
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on May 29, 2008 at 6:03 pm
This is a good idea. And I support a plan (mine) that will provide this funding. Issue my suggested Documented Illegal Immigrant card so they can pay payroll taxes, withhold the 7% Illegal Immigrant Tax I’ve again suggested and use a portion of this money to help illegals navigate the documentation path or settle their affairs so that they may return home. Ah, a plan WITH a funding source. What a concept. Although it may not be as good as Chris Cummings plan of providing first class airline tickets home with NO funding source but .... it is a start.
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Posted by ( PWCMom ) on May 29, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Since this proposal is to be funded by the taxpayers, I would welcome this ONLY if there are tight constraints that undocumented and illegal people would not receive the same services as those who are legal residents. Counties like Arlington and Montgomery County have stated that they will engage in checking for legal status-would they be required to do so? I am skeptical about them doing do and wonder what the penalty for noncompliance is?
Also, there has to be a component to check fraudulent IDs and information, and make referrals when fraudulent documents are found.
Making it easier for legal residents (i.e. those who came here LEGALLY and abide by the laws) to get citizenship is a good goal. However, anytime taxpayer funds are used to support a proposed service, the taxpayers have a right to demand accountability and one of those is to make sure they are not providing funded resources to persons who are not legally present here. We don’t want more day laborer centers who refuse to abide by the laws of this land.
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