Q & A With Pat Bates

Check for Pat’s responses to questions she receives from 5th district voters.

Click HERE to send Pat Bates your question.

ACR 229 - Mexican Consular Identification Cards

Paul from Laguna Niguel emailed me with a question regarding ACR 229.  Here it is along with my response:

Hi Pat,
It is clear you voted against ACR 229 in its final form.  Why did you sponsor the bill in the first place?
Paul
Laguna Niguel

Dear Paul,

I co-sponsored the bill at the request of law enforcement leaders who were scrambling in the wake of 9/11 to track down everyone inside our border who could be a terrorist or potential terrorist.  However, I made it clear at the time that I would not vote for the bill in its final form unless it was amended to add fool-proof provisions that would prevent illegal aliens from using the cards to receive government benefits, driver’s licenses or any other taxpayer-financed benefit.    Those provisions were never added to my satisfaction and I voted NO on the final passage of the bill. Thanks for your email and please keep in touch.

Pat Bates

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

On January 24, 2006, Sam from Rancho Santa Margarita emailed Pat about her position on what Orange County can do about illegal immigration and how she feels about day labor centers for illegal immigrants. The following is Pat's response sent the same day:

Dear Sam,

Thanks for emailing me with your questions.

While illegal immigration is primarily a federal issue, I do believe there are several ways the county can combat the problem. We should start by conducting a full audit of county services to determine which are being used by illegal aliens. All services that are not required by federal law should be halted immediately.

I support the Sheriff and the local communities that are training local peace officers to enforce immigration laws. Thanks to legislation enacted by former Congressman Chris Cox in 1996, local and state law enforcement officers are legally able to enforce immigration laws and I think every local jurisdiction in Orange County should instruct their officers to do so. 

I do not believe communities should sanction or encourage day labor centers for illegal aliens. These people are in our country illegally and should not be encouraged to remain here in violation of our laws.   

Thanks again for your email and please feel free to keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Pat Bates