2 O.C. Congressmen Urge Stronger Border Enforcement : Immigration: Dana Rohrabacher and Ron Packard urge a House panel to back legislation that would create a national Prop. 187, beef up patrols and streamline visas.

Two Orange County congressmen urged lawmakers Wednesday to crack down on illegal immigration by doubling the U.S. Border Patrol force, writing a national version of Proposition 187 and changing a law that eases the visa process for some undocumented immigrants.

Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside) also called for a shutdown of immigration checkpoints in San Clemente and Temecula to free up resources for better enforcement at the California-Mexico border.

Packard and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), both leading voices in the congressional debate over immigration policy, gave their recommendations at a hearing before the House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration. The panel is crafting a bill, to be released early next month, to tackle a variety of issues surrounding illegal and legal immigration.

Packard advised the committee to take three steps, which he introduced as bills on the opening day of Congress. He said they would curtail illegal immigration in Southern California.

The most contentious would create a federal version of Proposition 187, the ballot initiative California voters approved last fall to deny social, educational and most medical services to illegal immigrants. The measure is being challenged in court, but Packard said the federal government can no longer afford to provide services to undocumented immigrants.

“To take those funds and serve those who have broken our laws to come here is not the use of taxpayer dollars that our taxpayers want,” Packard said. “Certainly that was reflected in the vote in California with Proposition 187.”

Latino members and Democrats are likely to oppose the measure, saying it merely stirs up anti-immigrant feelings.

Packard, whose district includes parts of Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties, also proposed doubling the Border Patrol force to 10,000 agents over five years. That goal has been endorsed by Republicans and Democrats in the House.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service is reviewing whether to maintain border stops along highways, and an INS spokesman said a decision first expected in April, is “forthcoming.”

If the INS decides to keep the stops open, Packard said he will pursue avenues in Congress to shut them down, including withholding money for their operation.

He recommended repealing a law that allows some illegal immigrants to remain in the United States while their visa applications are pending.