Beilenson Ineffective on Immigration

* Your article on immigration reform (“Beilenson, Gallegly Ideas in U.S. Spotlight,” Aug. 29) was a little overgenerous in giving equal billing to Congressmen Elton Gallegly and Anthony Beilenson. In fact, Gallegly has been the point man in the platoon, while Beilenson has been largely missing in action--all talk and mostly no show.

Beilenson seems not to have discovered the immigration issues, at least not with any real fervor, until just last year--when he moved into a new conservative district. Given his long record as an ACLU-type supporter, it is difficult not to suspect that he was influenced by political expediency.

In fact, despite Beilenson’s position on the powerful Rules Committee as a ranking member of the party that controls Congress, he has produced very little in the way of results. Certainly, he has done nothing to help California get just compensation from the federal government for the undue burden we bear from national immigration policies. It is Gallegly, by contrast, who has fought for and won a seat on the Judiciary Committee, where he can have a direct effect on immigration issues.

RICHARD P. SYBERT

Sacramento

Richard Sybert announced last month that he is considering seeking the Republican nomination for the 24th Congressional District seat now held by Anthony Beilenson, a Democrat. Sybert is state director of planning and research.