Speech #1020172805

The bill before us today undermines right and responsibility of the voting process. I am sure that I do not need to remind my colleagues that the right to vote is extended to citizens of the United States. Illegal immigrants pose a tremendous strain on Californias social services. However. under the legislation. these very State Institutions are charged with registering people to vote. Agencies which administer public assistance. unemployment. and Statefunded programs administer a large percentage of this assistance to illegal immigrants. Because the process indudes so many entities it Invites fraud and abuse. My problem with this bill stems from the Impact of illegal immigration which I have witnessed upon the State of California. It is not difficult for an illegal immigrant to obtain phony documents such as green cards. It is in their best interest to try and obtain a drivers license as proof that they belong here. when in fact. they do not. In addition. this legislation requires only that the applicant sign a form that states they meet the eligibility requirements. including citizenship. under penalty of perjury. Illegal immigrants arent afraid of being charged with perjury. they are afraid of being sent back across the border. These are people who are already here illegallythey broke the law to get into this country. Penalty of perjury is hardly a stiff legal deterrent. Now. I dont know about my colleagues. but procedurally this does not sound to me like a. rigorous. thorough way to determine a persons citizenship and along the way. extend an opportunity to vote like an American citizen. To illegal aliens who may already possess phony documentation. this sounds more like an invitation to obtain a more reliable form of identification. like a drivers license. Finally. as a reasonable person would conclude. this bill Invites voter fraud. The agencies which administer social services to illegal immigrants are given the power to register them to vote. Furthermore. it only asks them to promise they are citizens. under penalty of perjury. This distorts the objective of democracy by allowing those who are not legal citizens to participate in a process they have no business participating in.