Proof of U.S. citizenship required at Rick Perry event

[Astrad]

MANCHESTER, N.H.—People attending a Rick Perry presidential campaign event Wednesday were asked to prove they are American citizens.

The town hall-style meeting at Granite State Manufacturing, the first of two events Perry was holding in New Hampshire, was open to the public.

But campaign officials said federal regulations required proof of citizenship because the company handles defence contracts. A Granite State employee sat beside a Perry campaign staffer at the door and asked attendees whether they were citizens.

The employee, who refused to give her name, said non-citizens wouldn’t be admitted.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1087891--proof-of-u-s-citizenship-required-at-rick-perry-event?bn=1

[gratuitous]

1. I wonder . . .

Did anyone ask Ms. Granite State if she could produce proof of citizenship?

I keep hoping that someone with a little clout is going to get clobbered by this nonsense, and that it will stop. Until then, we're all unpaid employees of INS, checking each other's papers, and secure in the false hope that this ritual makes us safer. Or something.

[baldguy]

2. Sieg Heil, y'all!

[NutmegYankee]

3. That was because the event was on the company property

It had nothing to do with the candidate. Only US citizens are allowed into defense plants for obvious reasons.

[TheWraith]

10. Yeah, it's more justified than it sounds, but still pretty fucking stupid.

They should never have held the event there, if they were smart.

Smart? What the fuck am I saying, they're Republicans.

[NutmegYankee]

11. Yes, holding the event there was mega-stupid.

But then so is Perry.

[tammywammy]

15. Untrue

Non-US citizens are routinely allowed into defense plants. They would have provided all that information to the company and for instance where I work foreign nationals are just escorted around. There are certainly areas that foreign nationals would not be allowed to visit, but as a routine they would be allowed into a building.

I'm surprised they allowed just random people into the facilities. Even if a US citizen was to visit the plant where I work, they would have had to submit their citizenship information beforehand. Some US citizens are escorted while on property while some are not.

[NutmegYankee]

18. No it is true.

I didn't go into heavy detail, like escorts, because I was keeping it simple.

[tammywammy]

19. I work at a major defense company with foreign nationals

They're allowed on property with escorts after proper paperwork has been submitted. I work in an international area, the foreign visitors I work with are allowed to walk unescorted in our building, but we routinely have meetings in a US Only building and they are escorted outside the conference room.

If they were allowing random people in they would have needed to be escorted while on property anyway. Only certain US citizen non-employees are allowed without escorts.

Even the article linked says it:
A Granite State employee, assembly manager Shawn O’Hagan, later said immigrants should not have been blocked from attending the event. But he said those without proof of citizenship would need to be escorted inside.

:shrug:

[NutmegYankee]

20. I know.

I was directing people away from the incorrect assumption that this was a racist or bigoted act and to the fact that the company restricts who can roam it's property since it's a defense plant.

I said it is true because I was simplifying the response and keeping it short. It's like saying littering will net you a $100 fine. Well, there is the possibility of getting a ticket thrown out or just getting a warning from the cop. But in simple terms, littering will get you a $100 fine.

[tammywammy]

21. Ah, I see.

And I understand. Yes, I don't know the particulars. Maybe poor reporting in general. This was obviously a poorly handled event, though since Rick Perry's involved I'm not surprised.

What caught me in the article is that they're implying only foreign nationals would need to be escorted, but I would think all of the general public people that went in on an event like this would need to be escorted. If we have like a retirement party at work, even the spouse of the employee would require an escort outside the room that it's being held in.

[Courtesy Flush]

4. Isn't this the same as pressing 1 for English?

I thought they hated that kind of thing.

[pnwmom]

5. This happened to my daughter when she was in a summer college program.

She went with a group of other students to visit some company, and they were stopped at the door and asked to show citizenship. Some of the kids couldn't show this, so they all left.

[TheWraith]

12. I was once asked to affirm I was an American citizen by the Border Patrol...

I was on a bus from Rochester, New York to Albany, New York.

You may notice that route never gets closer than 60 miles from another country. It was strange. :D

[mmonk]

6. As long as they aren't asking for proof of intelligence, he wil have a crowd.

[lunatica]

7. By the way according to the I-9 a driver's license & SS is proof of citizenship

No birth certificate is necessary. A school vaccination record is also proof enough. As is a passport issued by the US and a green card.

[Contrary1]

8. I've yet to see Perry's proof of humanship...

therefore; I must assume he's not one.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Apparently my driver's license will work here in Alabama as proof.

Ta daaa..see? I am all citizeny!

[lunatica]

13. It actually works everywhere according to the I-9 (Homeland Security doc)

That and a Social Security number. So will a school vaccination record.

[applegrove]

14. Perry appeals to the GOP base: a group of people who like to make others feel bad.

[HipChick]

16. SOP for companies handling federal contracts...those without proof of citizenship need an escort

Event occurred on company premises

[TBF]

17. Wonder if he asks the same of his housecleaners and lawn service folks?

My guess is not.