California mayor faulted for immigrant remarks resigns

EL CAJON, Calif. – The mayor of a San Diego suburb says he will step down after being criticized for his remarks about Iraqi immigrants.

Mark Lewis says in a letter he will resign from the El Cajon position he has held since 1998 after a business group and other officials said his comments in a magazine article were prejudicial.

U-T San Diego reported Saturday that Lewis apologized to anyone who was offended.

The mayor says he did not intend to be insensitive.

U-T San Diego says Lewis did not indicate when his resignation would be effective.

Lewis was chastised for nearly two hours at a meeting Tuesday by residents for his remarks suggesting that members of the city's Chaldean, or Iraqi Christian, community were improperly taking advantage of school free-lunch programs.