Conservative Immigration Group Calls for Whitman’s Arrest
California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman lost the support — and then some — of conservative group Americans for Legal Immigration PAC after allegations surfaced that she employed an undocumented housekeeper for nine years. But the pro-enforcement group isn’t just calling for her to lose the election: They want her arrested.
Here’s part of their press release:
“„ALIPAC is asking Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest and charge both Whitman and Diaz for numerous immigration and employment law violations. [...]
“„Americans curious about Meg Whitman’s support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Amnesty (CIRA) that would lift current laws and penalties for both illegal aliens and their employers now know why. If CIRA were to pass, exploitative employers like Whitman would escape the existing penalties under US law which have a nine year statute of limitations.
“„The American public has indicated in numerous scientific polls that well over 80% of Americans want employers like Meg Whitman heavily fined. Over 50% want the employers of illegals, like Whitman, jailed.
ALIPAC isn’t putting all the blame on Whitman: they mocked her former housekeeper for crying during a press conference yesterday and said she should also be arrested.
Whitman isn’t the most popular California candidate among the anti-illegal immigration set, particularly after she softened her immigration rhetoric to appeal to Latino voters. But although she has been less gung-ho about harsh enforcement measures such as Arizona’s SB 1070 immigration law, NumbersUSA, which pushes for lower immigration numbers, lists Whitman as supportive of barring driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants and taking away funding from “sanctuary cities.” Both, it should be noted, are issues that rights groups say are more about public safety than enforcement.
But the “true reformer” in the race, for Californians who want tough immigration enforcement, is Tea Party candidate Chelene Nightingale, according to NumbersUSA. Nightingale won over Tea Partiers (and not much of anyone else) with hard-line stances against “anchor babies” and government services for illegal immigrants.
Still, it’s worth noting that Whitman could face conservative backlash with her past employment of an undocumented worker. While Latinos may turn on her for her for allegedly mistreating an employee, the ire of ALIPAC shows conservatives won’t take kindly to the story either.
