Rohrabacher Proposes Legislation to Deny Federal Quake Relief to Illegal Immigrants

Illegal immigrants who suffered losses in the Northridge earthquake should not receive federal relief funds, U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) said Saturday.

An outspoken critic of illegal immigration into Southern California, Rohrabacher said he plans to introduce legislation that will require disaster victims to show proof of legal residency before receiving funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“I want the people of California to understand that hundreds of millions of dollars that should be going to them as citizens and legal residents are instead going to illegal aliens, and it’s absolutely outrageous,” said Rohrabacher, who believes that federal policies encourage illegal immigration.

“Once people realize that there is free money available, the line will be never-ending and will reach all the way to the border,” the three-term congressman added.

An immigrant-rights activist called Rohrabacher’s comments racist Saturday, accusing him of trying to further his political career on the backs of illegal immigrants.

“I didn’t think that there was anyone that cruel,” said Arturo Montes, state director of urban affairs for the League of United Latin American Citizens. “This is a situation where someone is drowning and he wants to say, ‘Show me some ID before I rescue you,’ ” Montes said. “This is racist, and it’s worse than those people selling a loaf of bread for $10,” Montes said.

The congressman said he was aware that his comments would bring some criticism, but said he believes that federal funds should go only to legal citizens.

“The fact is that there are limited amounts of emergency funds in the country,” said Rohrabacher, who added that his comments are in keeping with a longstanding position against illegal immigration.

“I’m not kicking anybody when they are up or down. I’m saying we have to use our hearts, but we have to use our heads,” he said.