5 Congressmen Ask INS to Cut Off Group

Five Orange County congressmen asked the Immigration and Naturalization Service on Thursday to discontinue funding the Santa Ana-based Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, which is under investigation for alleged voter fraud.

State and local authorities are investigating allegations that the Latino immigrant rights group registered noncitizens to vote in the congressional district where political newcomer Loretta Sanchez ousted longtime incumbent Republican Robert K. Dornan.

“While these allegations remain unresolved, we are requesting that you discontinue further taxpayer subsidy of this organization,” reads part of the Jan. 16 letter to INS Commissioner Doris Meisner.

The letter was signed by congressmen Dana Rohrabacher, Jay C. Kim, Christopher Cox, Ron Packard and Ed Royce, all Orange County Republicans.

Jay Lindsey, a spokesman for Hermandad, said he was unaware of the congressmen’s request.

Rohrabacher also requested Sanchez’s signature on the letter, but Sanchez declined because she said the matter concerns Dornan’s request to the House Oversight Committee for a new election.

Dornan’s claims of voting irregularities prompted authorities to investigate Hermandad.

“We just thought it was inappropriate for her to weigh in on issues that are to be decided by the House Oversight Committee,” said Steven Jost, Sanchez’s chief of staff.

The congressmen’s letter also states concern that the INS may withdraw its two agents from the Anaheim City Jail.

“We strongly urge you to maintain the INS presence in Anaheim, rather than with Hermandad Nacional,” the letter states.

INS officials could not be reached for comment after business hours Thursday.

Nineteen people told The Times they registered to vote at Hermandad while taking citizenship classes there but before they finished the naturalization process.

Agents from the INS, which contracts with Hermandad to give citizenship classes, canceled their regular examination visits beginning this year, pending the outcome of the investigation.