Poll Cited : Group Says Most Back Border Ditch

A poll commissioned by a lobbying group that advocates tougher immigration policies shows that 60% of Californians and 57% of San Diego County residents support the construction of a 4.2-mile-long ditch along the U. S.-Mexico border as a barrier against illegal aliens and drug traffic.

The results of the poll, conducted for the Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), were released Monday to coincide with the San Diego City Council’s vote this week on a resolution asking federal officials to postpone the controversial project.

The trench was proposed by the International Boundary and Water Commission first as an aid to drainage in the rapidly developing Otay Mesa area and later by the U. S. Immigration and Naturalization Service as a way of thwarting smugglers of aliens and drugs that routinely cross the border along the mesa that straddles Tijuana and San Diego.

Widespread Dissatisfaction

The telephone survey of 800 registered voters throughout California was conducted April 6-9 by Tarrance & Associates of Houston. An additional 272 registered voters in San Diego County were polled to provide an indication of public opinion in the area nearest the border. The statewide poll had a margin of error of 3.5%, and the margin for San Diego was 5.9%.

The results indicate widespread dissatisfaction with government efforts to stem the flow of illegal aliens into the United States, according to FAIR. According to the poll:

Statewide, 51% of voters think the United States accepts too many immigrants legally and 69% think the federal government should set a firm immigration limit. In San Diego County, the numbers were 49% and 67%, respectively.

84% of California voters and 86% of San Diego County voters believe that illegal immigration is a serious or somewhat serious problem.

84% of voters statewide and 85% of voters in San Diego County think elected officials are doing a poor or only fair job in fighting illegal immigration.

71% of voters statewide and 66% of those in San Diego County approve or approve strongly a suggestion to charge a $1 to $2 border-crossing toll per person.

10-Point Proposal

FAIR, a 10-year-old lobbying group whose funds come from membership dues and grants, has put forth a 10-point proposal that advocates, among other measures, a border-crossing toll and improved physical barriers at the border, including the controversial ditch.

“Our position on the INS ditch is that it’s a first step,” Mark Krikorian, the group’s press secretary, said in San Diego Monday. “It deals with a limited part of the problem. It’s not enough, but it’s a first step, and it will stop vehicular crossings at Otay Mesa.”

The group’s executive director, Dan Stein, said in a press release, “More than anything else, this poll shows that California voters want their congressional representatives to take a leadership role in stopping illegal immigration and narcotics at the border.”

However, some questioned the poll’s validity. Roberto Martinez, an activist who heads the U. S.-Mexico Border Program for the American Friends Service Committee, called FAIR a “reactionary” group and said: “I’m always very suspicious of polls . . . and I doubt if they polled Hispanics. There’s one very important factor here, and that’s how you explain the proposal.”

The question put to voters about the ditch leaves out the possibility that the ditch would pose a safety hazard to people who might fall into it, Martinez said.

The question reads: “The U. S. government has recently proposed construction of a 4-mile drainage ditch at the border south of San Diego that would also stop vehicles smuggling illegal aliens and drugs. From everything you know about smuggling and illegal immigration, would you support or oppose construction of the 4-mile ditch south of San Diego?”

I. A. Lewis, director of polls for the Los Angeles Times, said the ditch question appeared to be “loaded” in a way that could influence people to say they favored the ditch.

“He’s sort of saying to you: ‘Are you in favor of illegal immigration and smuggling or not? If you’re against the ditch, then you must be in favor of that,’ ” Lewis said.