PASADENA : Council Is Unanimous in Opposing Prop. 187

The City Council on Monday voted unanimously to oppose Proposition 187, which would deny most public services to illegal immigrants if approved by voters Nov. 8.

Earlier Monday, representatives of the Pasadena Unified School District and various organizations, including El Centro de Accion Social and the Pasadena chapter of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, held a press conference on the steps of City Hall to voice their opposition to the controversial measure.

The community leaders said they oppose Proposition 187 because, among other things, it would require teachers to report children whom they suspect to be illegal immigrants. Those children would then be barred from attending public school and would end up on the streets, the opponents said.

Supporters of the measure, including Assemblyman Richard Mountjoy (R-Arcadia), contend California taxpayers are spending too much money on services for illegal immigrants.