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California city appoints undocumented immigrants to government seats

By Amy R. Connolly
Huntington Park, Calif. Councilman Jhonny Pinedais is under fire after announcing he will appointing two undocumented immigrants to city advisory boards. Screenshot from CBS Los Angeles
Huntington Park, Calif. Councilman Jhonny Pinedais is under fire after announcing he will appointing two undocumented immigrants to city advisory boards. Screenshot from CBS Los Angeles

HUNTINGTON PARK , Calif., Aug. 4 (UPI) -- A city councilman came under fire Monday after he announced he will appoint two immigrants in the United States illegally to local government advisory boards.

Jhonny Pineda, a Huntington Park city councilman in southeast Los Angeles County, drew jeers from the crowd at a council meeting when he announced Julian Zatarain, 21, and Francisco Medina, 29, will be joining the parks and recreation commission and the health and education commission, respectively.

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While some say Pineda, elected in March, is paying political favors through the appointments because both men worked on his campaign, Pineda said he simply trying to give more people a voice. Neither appointee will be given the $25 to $75 monthly stipend given to other advisory board members.

"If we want to share the same vision of Huntington Park, we want to bring everyone to the table," Pineda told the Los Angeles Times. "These are well-qualified kids. They have been giving a lot without expecting anything in return."

Pineda's announced drew criticism the moment the words came out of his mouth.

"You are out of order!" one woman in the crowd yelled.

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Robin Hvidston, executive director of We the People Rising, a California-based immigration enforcement group, said the appointments rob U.S. citizens of two commission seats.

"To appoint commission seats to individuals who are breaking federal laws demonstrates that lack of respect for U.S. law," she said.

California law does not prohibit undocumented immigrants from serving as appointed commissioners. Both men will have to undergo background checks, like other appointees.

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