June 7, 2007
Affirmative Action's Foes Call for Ban on Preferences in Immigration Bill
Critics of affirmative action plan to publish an open letter tomorrow calling for any immigration bill passed by Congress to contain language barring newly naturalized citizens from receiving preferences based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or color.
The open letter, scheduled for publication in The Washington Times, argues that “immigration and race preferences cannot be considered in isolation,” and that it is unfair that “the majority of immigrants coming to America will automatically be eligible for race preferences and privileges not provided to the great majority of Americans.”
The letter bears the signatures of 26 local and national leaders of the movement to bar the use of affirmative-action preferences in education, employment, and contracting. The effort to get it published was led by Ward Connerly, chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute and a leader of successful campaigns in California, Michigan, and Washington to ban affirmative-action preferences at public colleges and other state and local agencies. He has announced plans to get similar measures on the ballot in at least five other states.
The immigration bill faces an uncertain future after failing to pick up sufficient support in a test vote this afternoon in the Senate, the Associated Press reported. The Senate is continuing to debate the legislation, however. —Peter Schmidt
Posted on Thursday June 7, 2007 | Permalink |
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