Two prominent political activists squared off over the controversial Arizona Proposition 200 at a debate held at ASU on Monday.
Alfredo Gutierrez of the Hispanic Forum, which is against the initiative, and Kathy McKee, who is sponsoring the initiative, clashed over the proposal at a raucous public debate in the Pima Room of the Memorial Union.
More than 200 people packed the room, and some stood to watch the debate, yelling while the activists spoke.
If passed, the initiative would require Arizona residents to provide greater documentation when claiming benefits and registering to vote.
According to the proposal, Arizona citizens would have to present a valid driver's license or two forms of identification with the applicant's name and address in order to register to vote or claim state benefits.
Gutierrez said the proposition's implications could spill over into every aspect of public life and every public transaction.
"Under [the Arizona] Kids Care program, a child who is born in the U.S. is eligible for public benefits but the parents are not," Gutierrez said. "[Under Proposition 200] if parents [who are not legal residents] go and sign up their child, they would be deported."
Gutierrez said Proposition 200 would hurt the health care and public safety systems because the children of illegal immigrants would not be immunized.
McKee, whose group Protect Arizona Now sponsored the initiative, said she hoped people could keep an open mind about the implications of the proposition.
"I'm not asking you to believe anyone," McKee said. "But I would ask you to read the proposition and believe your own two eyes."
The ASU chapter of the Woman's Student Coalition sponsored the debate. Serena Turley, the group's president, said the goal of the event was to educate voters.
Before the debate, finance junior Joe Origer, who attended the debate for his women's studies class, said he didn't know much about Proposition 200.
After the debate he said he would support the initiative if he were voting in Arizona.
"[Gutierrez] was better, but I would vote yes," Origer said.
Origer said Gutierrez lost some credibility when he argued that people who apply for library cards might face discrimination.
"I didn't like how he compared voting to renting a book," he said. "Voting is a serious issue."
Aaron Strassberg, an education junior, said he would vote against the proposition.
"I had my mind set before tonight," Strassberg said.
Reach the reporter at mark.saxon@asu.edu.
