Wilson’s $1.45-Billion Plea to Feds: Pay Up : Governor makes strong case for immigrant-aid money

California has a proud history of attracting newcomers to the United States. Even before the Gold Rush brought the stampede of fortune seekers from east of the Rockies, settlers from around the world put down roots in this state in search of a better life. The infusion of new residents, whether immigrants or refugees, has helped to enrich and diversify California.

But there have been costs too.

In recent years, California and other states have had to bear too much of the expense of medical, educational and other services provided to immigrants and refugees. This despite the fact that the federal government is supposed to help foot the bill for such federally mandated services.

Repeat: federally mandated .

Washington has not lived up to that commitment, shortchanging California by billions over the years. In response, Gov. Pete Wilson has launched an appropriately aggressive campaign, as part of his 1993-94 budget-balancing act, to secure those funds. He needs the support of President-elect Bill Clinton and the state’s huge but often ineffective congressional delegation to bring the money home.

California warrants a big share of federal funding because the state attracts, and thus in part supports, a disproportionately large number of refugees and immigrants--both legal and undocumented. The state is home to 54% of the immigrants legalized under the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), nearly 40% of the nation’s refugees and perhaps 50% of the undocumented in the United States.

The immigration phenomenon is not only a downside cost question, of course. Many immigrants contribute to the state’s economy through their labor and enterprise, and they also pay taxes. But most of their income taxes and Social Security taxes go to the federal government, not Sacramento.

A breakdown of the funding that the governor seeks is revealing.

He is claiming from the so-called state legalization impact assistance grant about $324 million owed to California for services provided to individuals legalized under IRCA. This law established a $4-billion grant program to reimburse states. But that account was raided by Congress to finance other programs.

The governor is claiming from the refugee resettlement funding program $104 million for services under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children, supplemental security income/state supplementary payment and Medi-Cal programs.

The governor is claiming from the citizen children of undocumented immigrants program $209 million for AFDC costs and $31 million in Medi-Cal costs.

And the governor is demanding $534 million for Medi-Cal costs for both IRCA immigrants and undocumented immigrants. Also, $250 million for the cost of keeping in state prisons those illegal residents convicted of crimes in California.

All that adds up to $1.45 billion.

In a year of jockeying for position with the new Administration, Wilson needs inspired help from the congressional delegation to push California’s very good case for the $1.45 billion--with Congress and with Clinton. It is simply not fair for Californians to have to finance all the burdensome costs of federal immigration and refugee policies. Washington owes Sacramento and should put its money where its mouth has been all these years.