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Council eyes immigration stance

Politics: Amid mounting pressure from activists and candidates, it may back bills

Posted: March 4, 2010 10:23 p.m.
Updated: March 5, 2010 6:30 a.m.
The Santa Clarita City Council on Tuesday will consider endorsing seven pieces of federal legislation intended to cut government benefits to the children of illegal immigrants.

The action would be a purely symbolic show of support for the legislation, all of which is sponsored by Congressman Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Santa Clarita.

The council's move to support anti-illegal immigration measures comes after weeks of pressure from city residents and challengers running for a council seat in April's election.

"We do have a problem, we do need to address it and our City Council, as we always do, respond to what our residents request," Councilwoman Marsha McLean said at a forum held by the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce at the Hyatt Regency Valencia.

Candidates David Gauny, TimBen Boydston and Johnny Pride all said they want the City Council to endorse the bills.

However, not every council candidate thought the move was necessary.

"I've read about these recent bills, they're very nice, very important, but they're a bit of bureaucracy that's an overkill," said City Council candidate Daniel Henriquez.

"We already have laws on the books at the state and federal level that says we can enforce (illegal immigration), but it's not being enforced," he said.

The legislation McKeon is sponsoring would, among other things, make English the country's official language, add stricter penalties for those caught crossing the border illegally and build 350 miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Another measure, the Birthright Citizenship Act, would change the Immigration and Nationality Act to exclude granting citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States.

The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants full citizenship to any person born within the United States, regardless of whether their parents are legal citizens.

"We need to find solutions to illegal immigration," McLean said, "and I support whatever we as a city can legally do."

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