Garamendi Endorses Group’s Immigrants Rights Blueprint

Expressing fear that the immigration debate could unleash racism, gubernatorial candidate John Garamendi on Saturday endorsed a series of principles championed by a coalition of Latino lawmakers.

Garamendi, California’s insurance commissioner, announced in Los Angeles that he backs the immigrants rights blueprint of a group known as Proponents for Responsible Immigration Debate and Education (PRIDE), made up of officeholders and community organizations. The coalition, formed in December, seeks to influence public discussions about immigration.

“This is an extraordinarily dangerous issue,” Garamendi said after emerging from a coalition meeting at the Downtown Los Angeles headquarters of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. “It can turn loose in our society the rabid dog of racism.”

Coalition members in attendance included Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblywoman Martha M. Escutia (D-Huntington Park).

In an effort to counter immigrant-bashing, the lawmakers plan to ask all California gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidates to affirm four broad principles:

* The right of U.S. citizenship for everyone born in the United States, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. Non-citizens should also be encouraged to sign up for citizenship.

* Access for all immigrants--including the undocumented--to elementary and secondary education, emergency medical care and health services.

* Enforcement of U.S. borders must remain a civilian task--not a military function--and should be conducted in a humane fashion.

* Fostering democracy abroad and providing economic assistance to Mexico and other “sender” nations are the most effective ways to cut down on illegal immigration.

In a meeting last month, Gov. Pete Wilson endorsed two of the four principles: maintaining civilian border control and giving economic help to immigrants’ homelands.

However, Wilson also backs denying U.S. citizenship to children born here to illegal immigrants. And the governor is opposed to providing health care and other public benefits to immigrants in the country illegally.

Coalition members plan to meet next week with California Treasurer Kathleen Brown, who is also expected to run for governor.