PERSPECTIVE ON IMMIGRATION : Funding Services Is a 2-Way Street : The President is asking Congress for a 30% boost in assistance for hard-hit states, which still have to shoulder their fair share.

Through much of our history, immigration has been among this country’s most emotional political issues. We are a nation of immigrants. Yet too often we have forgotten our heritage and used immigrants as scapegoats for our problems.

Once again, in a period of tight budget constraints, immigrants are in the political cross hairs. There is a genuine need to curb illegal immigration and to assist states with costs related to illegal immigration. However, in the rush of political rhetoric, the public needs to distinguish between the exploitation of these issues and responsible efforts to address them.

All agree on the need to combat illegal immigration. That is a central federal responsibility, and this Adminstration is overcoming years of inertia at the federal level to strengthen border enforcement.

As to fiscal relief, however, we are hearing some very easy answers to very complicated problems. They range from assertions that Washington should write a blank check to cover traditional state and local services to all immigrants to proposals that all benefits be cut off for legal and illegal immigrants alike.

The answer lies at neither extreme but in a strong partnership between the federal and state governments.

Enforcement. President Clinton has directed the Immigration and Nationalization Service to make a comprehensive effort to secure our borders and deter illegal immigration. His budget, now before Congress, would add more than 1,000 agents at the border and 200 inspectors at land ports of entry, provide agents with better equipment, fund deportation of aliens who commit serious crimes after they complete their sentences, increase enforcement of sanctions against those who hire undocumented aliens and improve the asylum and naturalization processes.

Assistance. Regardless of these efforts, millions of undocumented aliens are here already. Previous administrations looked the other way when it came to the states’ costs of providing services to them, but the President believes that these costs are a shared responsibility. His budget contains billions for states relating to immigrants, around 30% more than in previous Administrations; included is $350 million to assist states for the first time ever with the costs of imprisoning illegal immigrants who are convicted felons.

But the states cannot send the entire bill for health, prison and other costs to Washington. These are, after all, not just federal responsibilities.

Before Congress will approve additional funds, it must have the facts, and states have provided widely varying estimates of their costs. For example, the governor of Texas estimates that undocumented immigrants cost her state $166 million annually, or an average of about $300 per immigrant. The governor of California is asking for $2.3 billion. His estimate of undocumented immigrants is 2.1 million, one-third greater than the INS estimate of 1.6 million. And because he does not count taxes, lottery receipts and other revenues that the state collects from undocumented immigrants, he wants $1,000 for each one, more than three times what Texas is asking.

To separate facts from rhetoric, a working group of affected states and the federal government has asked the respected, nonpartisan Urban Institute to provide an objective estimate of the costs and revenues associated with illegal immigration. This will help determine what additional assistance might be appropriate.

In addition, the Administration is committed to working with the governors of the states with the largest numbers of illegal immigrants to obtain support from Congress. In a tight federal budget, a powerful case must be made that a relatively few states are entitled to special help.

Nevertheless, some elected officials seem more interested in scoring political points on this issue than in solving the problem. Lawsuits have been filed that legal experts give virtually no chance of success, resulting in wasted legal costs that the states can ill afford. Clearly, some politicians are laying the groundwork for blaming Washington when the inevitable tough state budget choices are made. For example, California has built its budget around a so-called $3-billion immigration gap that is somehow, mysteriously, to be filled by federal funds that simply do not exist.

Nobody should be under any illusions. In the zero-sum budget game, every dollar spent on this problem must be taken from somewhere else. Therefore, we had better work together instead of pointing fingers.

As our nation decides on a policy path, we should remember our immigrant heritage. My parents came to this country looking for the opportunity to work for a better life for themselves and their children. Most immigrants still come to this country for the same reason.

No, we should not tolerate people immigrating illegally. But we need to treat this issue honestly and fairly. If public officials at all levels can do that, this problem can be solved in keeping with the great spirit and heritage of this nation.