Packard Following Dubious Footsteps

As development has pushed residential and agricultural areas closer together in the North County and as more migrants have sought non-agricultural jobs, the visibility of illegal aliens has increased.

Scruffy, unemployed men lining the roadways, regardless of their ethnic background, understandably create discomfort for those unaccustomed to seeing them. Predictably, the increased visibility and contact bring complaints to elected officials and, perhaps, more crime.

A byproduct of the complaints is that politicians try to show they are responsive. But these attempts often generate more problems than solutions and, worse, may even exacerbate an already difficult situation.

Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad) followed in the footsteps of other local politicians recently when he called for a task force to study what he says is a growing problem of crime committed by illegal aliens. He also said he was considering asking for a Border Patrol crackdown to remove the hundreds of migrants who line North County thoroughfares each day looking for work.

Not surprisingly, he drew the ire of Latino groups, who accused him of fanning the flames of ethnic prejudice. Apparently he learned little from the experiences of his former aide, Clyde Romney, and Supervisor Susan Golding, whose inflammatory rhetoric and inaccurate statistics brought similar charges in 1986.

One of the difficulties is that there do not seem to be comprehensive statistics on illegal aliens and crime, though there can be little doubt about the perception of it.

Figures should soon be available, however. The San Diego Assn. of Governments is nearing completion of a two-year study to determine the number of felonies committed by illegal aliens.

As for the need for another task force, we suggest that Packard first review the recent work of task forces in Carlsbad and Encinitas, which did commendable jobs of outlining the problems. The Carlsbad task force also had some enlightened recommendations, such as an educational campaign aimed at lessening prejudice and improving relations between Latinos and Anglos.

But Packard is right to suggest federal participation in the solution. Immigration policy is a federal matter, and the amnesty law he supported is an important step in the right direction.

Many problems are still unaddressed, however. As the Carlsbad task force noted, the city must have low-income housing if it is to have a low-income work force to support its tourism and agriculture industries. One North County grower already has come forth with a proposal to build a 352-bed labor camp because he fears that the amnesty program may result in a shortage of workers. Federal and state funds may be needed to assist with such plans, and Packard ought to be able to help if this is so.

Meanwhile, crackdowns are temporary measures that do little beyond garnering publicity. In a time when so many bemoan the loss of the work ethic, it seems hypocritical to arrest people who so eagerly are looking for jobs.