Services to Illegal Immigrants

Re “Backers of Prop. 187 Push for New Initiative,” Dec. 20: The hypocrisy of these signature gatherers is once again evident with this report of their “new initiative that again would attempt to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving a broad array of public services.” I doubt we’ll ever see the day when Proposition 187 coauthor Ron Prince proposes an initiative that would attempt to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving employment opportunities.

Or, the backers of the Save Our State Initiative could stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the Golden State by making it harder for these newcomers to find work. If we fight prostitution and the drug war by arresting johns who solicit sex and dealers who sell illicit drugs, shouldn’t we also be halting illegal immigration by fining and/or arresting the businesses and citizens who supply these “lawbreakers” with employment?

Proposition 187 was never about keeping illegal immigrants out of California. It was all about making their lives as miserable as possible after they’d been put to work. It’s appalling how many Californians not only want their cake and to be able to eat it, but also need someone to clean up after everyone has put down their forks.

Eric Frase

Los Feliz

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Your article ignores one important benefit of passing the initiative: With California’s huge deficit nearly bankrupting the state, saving large amounts of money now spent on illegal aliens could significantly contribute to helping the state clean up its finances. Saving state money is imperative, and this initiative would do so.

Diane Forve

Los Angeles

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Here we go again. Blaming immigrants for California’s economic problems. If the backers of the new version of Proposition 187 are so fed up with “illegal aliens” ruining California, why don’t they amend their initiative to include mandatory jail sentences (with 25 years to life for third-time offenders) for anyone found guilty of hiring undocumented workers?

The fact is that immigrants do the jobs citizens avoid: Immigrant labor helps California farms provide the nation with nearly half of its fruits and vegetables, and about 40,000 active-duty U.S. troops are not U.S. citizens but immigrants. Immigrant labor helps keep nonhousing prices low and allows white people in Orange County, like Ron Prince, to enjoy a high standard of living. By scapegoating immigrants, Prince and other neo-187 backers are not acting in their own best interests.

Daniel Barkley PhD

Lecturer, African American

Studies, UC Irvine

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I’m Hispanic and I back the new Proposition 187 (Save Our State). We backers don’t care if the illegal aliens are brown, white, black, green, yellow, striped or polka-dotted. They are illegally in this country and we don’t want them mooching off our tax dollars. End of story. One thing that I will never forgive illegals for is their using our emergency rooms as free health clinics, thus causing many of them to close.

Last June I had a medical emergency that my doctor thought might be life-threatening. I had to travel one hour by car, while very ill, to the emergency room that could take me for observation. It was a terrifying feeling to think that I might not make it in time to save my life. Long live 187!

Haydee Pavia

Laguna Woods

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I’ll bet the Republican Party leaders are worried about the impact a planned Proposition 187-like initiative prohibiting illegal immigrants from receiving many public services would have on voter turnout for the November 2004 election -- resulting in a potential negative impact on President Bush’s reelection chances.

Boy, I sure do hope the backers of this initiative gather enough signatures to get it on the ballot.

Donald A. Bentley

La Puente