McDonough Predicts 'Hefty' Petition Numbers to Challenge Tuition for Illegal Immigrants

Expect big numbers.

That's the message from Del. Pat McDonough as he and other legislators and organizers of an effort to force to referendum a recent state law granting in-state tuition to illegal immigrants prepare to deliver the first round of signatures to state elections officials today.

"It's going to be a hefty number," McDonough said.

"I think the strength of the emotion surrounding this issue is going to show through," the Middle River Republican said.

McDonough will be part of a 3 p.m. news conference at the Maryland State Board of Elections offices in Annapolis this afternoon.

Petitioners must collect nearly 56,000 signatures of registered voters by July 1.

By law, the group must present at least one-third of the required signatures — about 18,500 — by the end of the day today. In reality, the group will need to deliver as many as 33 to 50 percent more than that in order to offset signatures that will inevitably be rejected by local Board of Elections officials around the state.

McDonough could not say how many signatures will ultimately be delivered today.

"It's kind of a moving target right now," McDonough said.