Senate president slams Secretary of State Over Proposed "Voter Purge" Rules
Iowa Senate President Pam Jochum Calls on Secretary of State Schultz to Withdraw Voter Purge Rule Targeting Immigrants
Senator from Dubuque says Schultz’s proposed rule “exceeded the authority of the secretary’s office” and should be withdrawn and proposed as legislation
Iowa Senate President Pam Jochum (D-Dubuque) called on Secretary of State Matt Schultz to withdraw a proposed voter purge rule targeting immigrants today during a meeting of the Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC).Jochum said Schultz should withdraw the rule and submit it as a legislative proposal that can be fully vetted and debated by the state legislature during the 2013 session.“I believe this rule has exceeded the authority of the secretary’s office,” Jochum said.More than a dozen members of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) joined the American Civil Liberties Union and the League of United Latin American Citizens at the ARRC meeting and testified against the proposal.“Schultz’s potentially illegal power grab will unfairly target Latino immigrants, intimidate voters from exercising their rights, and could result in voters being purged from the rolls without cause,” said Ana Belén Mancebo, 21, a CCI member from Des Moines who is also a naturalized citizen after immigrating from Nicaragua. “Voter fraud is not a real problem in the state of Iowa and devoting resources to bullying immigrant communities already in the shadows is a waste of taxpayer dollars.”“Iowa CCI members demand ARRC stand with everyday people and hardworking families from across Iowa and block this bad rule from being implemented.”ARRC also held a special hearing today on new Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines that prevent immigrants protected under President Obama’s “deferred action” executive order from receiving an Iowa driver’s license.Iowa CCI members say that deferred action immigrants have a legal right to obtain a valid driver’s license.“I’m here on a work visa and I have a drivers license. Why can’t my deferred action brothers and sisters who are also here legally get one?” said Vanessa Carolina del Valle Marcano Marin, 27, a CCI member from Des Moines who is originally from Venezuela. Click LIKE and TWEET if you agree!