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Thanks to an initiative unveiled recently by a California legislator and others, almost a million undocumented immigrants may have the chance to live and work in California without any fear of deportation.
Spearheaded by Felipe Fuentes, D-Sylmar, this measure is termed as the California Opportunity and Prosperity Act. This proposal was filed on Dec 2, 2011 with the office of the state attorney general, which marks the first step toward a drive to collect the signatures of 504,760 voters, which is required to make it eligible for the ballot.
Proponents of the measure call it to be a moderate approach, which is necessitated by inability of the federal government to pass an all-inclusive immigration reform. What's more, such an initiative is likely to generate additional tax revenue from illegal immigrants, which may go up to $325 million. Fuentes even remarked in a written statement that such an initiative shows how California is ready to take the lead on a critical issue when Washington, D.C. fails to act. However, despite the strong support that this measure enjoys, its implementation would be possible only if the federal government agrees not to act against undocumented immigrants at the state's request.
Though the measure has its fairs share of supporters, the opponents too aren't leaving any stones unturned to protest against it vehemently. Assemblyman Tim Donnelly called the proposal a futile attempt to evade immigration law. He added further that since there is a proper process for coming to the country, everyone should respect that.
Illegal immigrants in California, who have lived in the state for four years, can either speak English or are learning it, have no convictions for a criminal act, aren't suspected terrorists, and pay a fee to run the program would benefit from the proposed initiative. Even employers who earlier faced difficulty while hiring such undocumented immigrants, as it's illegal to hire an undocumented immigrant according to the federal law, can now breathe easy. According to the proposed initiative, the state will seek exceptions from the federal government, which in turn would make life easier for both the participants and their employers.
With the improvement in job opportunity scenario for undocumented immigrants, California's tax coffers are sure to swell, which is a welcome move, especially when the state is finding it hard to deal with severe financial challenges. Supporters of the measure tout it to be in sync with California's continuing tradition of supporting trailblazing policies in various areas ranging from medicinal marijuana to environmental protection. They believe that the measure will finally allow longtime California residents, who are undocumented, to become taxpayers and contribute to the society fully. However, opponents countered by saying that it's unlikely for the federal government to grant exceptions for a select group of illegal immigrants.
With both the groups debating the measure with fervor, only time will tell if undocumented workers in California will finally see their lives take a turn for the better.
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