Walking the Borderline on Immigration

A Latino leader abruptly reminded Treasurer Kathleen Brown Tuesday why, for her, the issue of illegal immigration is another big loser.

The episode showed why immigration--as well as crime--are topics that, for her own sake, the less said the better until after Election Day.

Brown, in her words, had just spoken “from my heart and from my head and from my gut” about illegal immigration to the prestigious Commonwealth Club of San Francisco. She called illegal immigration “a serious problem”--a statement aimed at rectifying a previous blunder--and outlined “fair-minded, smart” solutions: Beefing up border patrols, penalizing employers, issuing tamper-proof Social Security cards, suing Washington and deporting felons.

But she painted a sharp contrast between herself and Gov. Pete Wilson, whom she accused of “fanning fears.” Unlike Wilson, Brown adamantly opposes Proposition 187 and formally came out against it in her Commonwealth speech. Wilson probably will officially endorse the initiative this weekend at a Republican state convention in San Diego.

The measure would deny illegal immigrants most government services, including education. It also contains a snitch clause requiring public officials to report suspected illegal immigrants to the INS.

Brown called the measure “a cheap political trick that Pete Wilson is promoting and encouraging and inflaming.” It’s “mean-spirited and wrongheaded” and punishes innocent children, she said. And she wondered how someone might become suspect. “By the color of their skin? By the accent? The last name maybe? Maybe the way you dress? Maybe the cut of the cloth you’re wearing?”

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The Democratic gubernatorial candidate was walking a tight line: Siding with the 70% of registered voters--according to the latest Times poll--who regard illegal immigration as a major problem, while courting Latinos whose help she’ll need to beat the front-running governor.

When she took audience questions and got a query from the Latino, Brown was jarred with the realization that her path likely is going nowhere, though not to follow it would mean sliding over a political cliff. For her to back Proposition 187--and cozy up to the 62% of likely voters who support it--would be the pinnacle of cynicism. But there’s nothing she can do to satisfy many Latino leaders on immigration short of minimizing the entire issue and jumping off that cliff.

“As a second-generation Hispanic, I’m personally disappointed at the lack of sensitivity that encourages immigrant-bashing by all candidates,” read the written question. “The war on illegal immigration is destroying a lot of trust and initiative among legal Hispanic citizens. How will you gain the trust of Hispanic citizens any more than Gov. Wilson?”

“Well,” Brown replied slowly, with a sigh. “That was very much what my remarks were intended to do today . . . in thoughtful terms.” Looking disheartened, she summarized her long speech, again attacked Wilson, then her voice tailed off.

Afterward, I found the questioner. He was Anthony U. Martinez, 50, a business management professor at University of San Francisco and a board member of the Commonwealth Club. He’s also a Republican. But he’ll likely vote for Brown, Martinez added, because her Administration would have more diversity.

Regardless, he was critical of Brown. “All candidates have gotten on the bandwagon,” he said. “All the problems of our economy are being blamed on illegal immigration. She ought to raise the bigger issue of competitiveness. . . . It’s very upsetting. Hispanics are being used as a target.”

Brown actually has talked repeatedly about making California more competitive.

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I’ve heard many Latinos--politicians and activists--express similar sentiments. But they may be out of step with their communities. The Times poll found that 61% of Latino voters consider illegal immigration a major problem. Still, Brown needs the leaders to drum up enthusiasm for her in these Latino communities.

She’s done about all she can do.

In fact, she committed one of her biggest campaign errors trying to please Latino leaders one year ago. She met with dozens at her home to preview a speech attacking illegal immigration. Their unhappiness prompted her to insert a line about illegal immigration being “wrongly seen as a cause” of problems.

Wilson jumped on it. Brown accused him of taking her words out of context. But, in truth, it was Brown herself who put confusing out-of-context words in her speech.

Brown should now focus on other areas, such as the one where she outscores Wilson every time: education.