Wilson Ends Mission for U.S. Funds on High Note : Budget: State delegation vows support in fight for money to pay for services to immigrants.

Gov. Pete Wilson capped a successful, four-day political mission here Wednesday by gaining widespread support for his crusade to retrieve $1.4 billion in immigrant funds from the federal budget.

In an unusual breakthrough, the Republican governor won the commitment of the often-divided California congressional delegation to wage an all-out fight for immigrant funds that Wilson contends the federal government is obligated to pay California.

Wilson had breakfast Wednesday with 44 of the 54 California congressional legislators, who make up the largest state delegation in U.S. history. It was believed to be the first meeting in decades that included the state’s governor, two senators and a vast majority of House members.

“I was very much encouraged,” Wilson said. “We made an appeal for their help. I was genuinely impressed and grateful for the bipartisan response we got.”

Wilson also persuaded fellow governors from Florida, New York, Texas and Illinois to join him in sending a letter to President Clinton requesting “immediate action to provide all reimbursement owed to the states” for the cost of providing services to poor immigrants.

And he emerged upbeat Wednesday following a private meeting with Leon E. Panetta, the director of the Office of Management and Budget and a former Monterey congressman who is chiefly responsible for drawing up Clinton’s proposed 1994 budget. Wilson said he considers it crucial for the Clinton Administration to include the full $1.4 billion in its budget next month--something the Bush Administration refused to do--if California is to have any hope of getting the money.

Legislators warn that given the pressure on the Clinton Administration to cut programs and control deficit spending, it remains unlikely that California will receive the full $1.4 billion this year.

“I don’t think we’ll get the full amount,” said Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez). “I don’t think anybody expects that.”

The money is needed to pay for medical, welfare and job training benefits for immigrants and refugees as well as the cost of incarcerating undocumented immigrants in California prisons.

California is home to millions of legal immigrants and refugees, far more than any other state. By some estimates, another 100,000 or more illegal immigrants move to the state each year.

Any shortfall in federal funding would force Wilson to make more cuts in state services because he is relying on collecting the full $1.4 billion to help balance his $51.2-billion budget proposal.

Most members of the California delegation said they were prepared to join with the governor to fight for the immigrant funding.

“We’ll do the very best we can and fight for it as hard as we can,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Californians can come together and we can get some things done for our state. It has to be that way.”

Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina del Rey) said: “I think the California state budget needs as much help as it can get. What he’s asking for is something the federal government owes.”

But Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) blasted Wilson’s proposal.

“By continuing to provide free services for illegal aliens, we are doing nothing but putting out invitations for millions and millions of more illegal aliens to come to our state,” Rohrabacher said. “We’ve got to come to grips with the problem. Having the governor of the state just come out here and ask for money is not the solution.”