Countywide : Prop. 187 Opponents to Urge Disobedience

Should voters decide next week to pass Proposition 187, which would deny education and other public services to undocumented immigrants, opponents of the measure plan a demonstration Wednesday to urge educators, health-care providers and social workers to refuse to comply with its mandates.

“We cannot have teachers and doctors turning into INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) agents, denying services to people because of their color or race,” said David Rojas, 22, a Fullerton College student who is a member of a coalition of Orange County high school, college and university student groups against the initiative. Organizers said the protest would take place at the Civic Center in Santa Ana.

Some doctors and social workers have pledged to refuse to report suspected illegal immigrants to the INS.

Alan Woo, a social worker and executive director of the Westminster-based Asian Pacific Community Services, said: “With all good conscience, I don’t see how anybody could comply with that law. To turn someone in is not our function. We’re not in a police state as far as I know. That’s unconstitutional.”