Dean Johnson Comments on Whitman Immigration Policy for Bee
Dean Kevin R. Johnson commented for the Sacramento Bee on Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman's decision to back off her campaign proposal to have state officials conduct workplace inspections and enforce legal penalties for businesses employing undocumented immigrants.
Dean Johnson noted that even if Whitman intended to move forward with the proposal, it would be difficult for a governor to require state agencies to become involved in immigration enforcement without approval from the Legislature, and even with legislative approval, the plan would run into legal challenges such as those faced by Arizona's SB 1070.
Kevin R. Johnson is Dean and Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law and Chicana/o studies at UC Davis School of Law. He is an internationally recognized scholar in the fields of immigration law and policy, refugee law, and civil rights.