About 100 Tea Party and Minutemen members rallied at the State Capitol Monday for an immigration bill similar to Arizona’s controversial law. The measure faces a critical committee vote Tuesday.
The bill’s author, Republican Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, said it would require employers to use the federal e-verify system and crack down on drug cartels and human trafficking.
“It ends sanctuary cities by letting citizens sue and hold accountable any municipality or city that creates a sanctuary policy like San Francisco,” Donnelly said. “That’s critical.”
About a football field away, with CHP officers on horseback in-between, about 12 people marched in protest. Lino Pedres with the Service Employees International Union organized the group.
“This type of legislation only divide(s) our community, pits one group against the others, and this type of legislation is not fair in California,” Pedres said.
Donnelly’s bill likely has a tough test before the Democratic-controlled Assembly Judiciary Committee.