ILLEGAL APPORTIONMENT
From the July 12 issue of Hispanic Link: "At a press briefing during the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference in Philadelphia last month, Census director Kenneth Prewitt told reporters that the bureau was planning to use illegal aliens (his words) as well as legal immigrants to help out with the Census next year in finding the hard-to-count in the Hispanic neighborhoods.

"He said it several times, until one reporter asked him whether the Congress would think it was a good idea to have undocumented workers on the government payroll.

"With his p.r. people shuffling uncomfortably at his side, the flustered Prewitt stammered, 'Oh no, what I meant was legal residents, legal residents.'

"His still-nervous press secretary followed up later in the day, chasing down the reporters to make sure 'they got it right.'"

Hmmm. If Prewitt didn't mean to say he was ready to hire illegal immigrants, then why did he try to make a distinction between "legal residents" (meaning non-citizens allowed to live in the United States) and "legal immigrants." If there is one, it's awfully technical.

House Republicans should make sure Prewitt promises unequivocally not to hire illegal aliens for Census 2000.

DUELING CITIZENSHIP
Mexico's Senate has blocked an effort to grant voting rights to expatriates and their children (i.e., Mexican immigrants residing in the United States and their U.S.-born kids). Yet the issue is sure to rise again, as Mexico started awarding "dual nationality" to certain expats last year, though not the voting rights that many other Latin American countries confer upon non-resident nationals. Mexico's opposition parties, in particular, believe they have much to gain by enfranchising people on U.S. soil.