Immigration Problems Require Multi-Pronged Approach
#23 BORDER ISSUES
Illegal immigration is such a polarizing topic that it’s difficult to get people to talk about it without shouting at each other. Yet it’s a big part of life in Los Angeles and it can’t be ignored. According to the 2000 census, more than 22 percent of L.A. County’s 9.5 million residents were not citizens. The vast majority of those are undocumented immigrants, mainly from Mexico and Central America.
Opponents of immigration rights point out some valid problems in particular, Southern California’s schools, health care and law enforcement systems shoulder an outsized portion of the negative impacts of illicit border crossings. Yet too often, ideology-driven proposals are either impractical, inhumane or simply off the mark.
And the data show that California’s economy benefits from having such a large pool of low-wage workers an “inflow of human capital,” as one academic puts it.
Immigration whether legal or illegal is both good and bad for the city. It brings young, ambitious minds that ensure L.A. will remain vibrant in years to come. But it also puts a strain on institutions, one that is worsened by federal policies that leave localities picking up the tab.
The challenge is to enhance the new arrivals’ chances of succeeding in Los Angeles, while minimizing the costs borne by local taxpayers. To do this, the region needs a multi-pronged approach.
First, local agencies and institutions must make a priority of reaching out in a coordinated manner to their immigrant constituencies, making sure that the rights and services already available are put to use. Then they must adjust those services to make them more accessible to the people who need them most.
One example is in ESL, or English as a second language, classes. For non-English speakers, the language barrier puts a lid on upward mobility and affects other parts of life, ranging from helping children with their homework to getting taken by an unscrupulous service provider. These problems spill over to the courts, the schools and social welfare agencies, to name a few.
While there are lots of ESL classes available in and around Los Angeles, getting to one isn’t always easy for a low-wage resident working long hours relying on public transportation. Community colleges can do a better job of instituting more night and weekend classes, although money is an obstacle.
Beyond that, businesses can join church and social services groups in providing classes to their workers (some have already done so). Local officials must do their part matching the existing resources with needs.
A step in the right direction is the city of Los Angeles’s new Office of Immigrant Affairs. With backing from City Councilman Eric Garcetti and Mayor James Hahn, the office was funded with a modest $125,000 enough for two-and-a-quarter staff positions, according to Patricia Villase & #324;or, the L.A. Human Relations Commission immigration policy adviser establishing the office.
Its charge is to act as a facilitator, bringing together the various entities to help resolve problems that are specific to immigration, and to encourage civic participation. It would also act as a legal advocate, in areas such as fraud prevention and helping residents understand the finer points of federal immigration policies.
Yet another idea worthy of consideration is a coordinated lobbying effort by local elected officials to ensure that federal reimbursements are sent to immigrant-receiving states such as California and Texas, offsetting some of the local costs that are affected by federal immigration policies.
This should be a bipartisan effort, as it’s one of the few areas that locally elected representatives can agree on. Historically, destination states for illegal immigrants have had little support in Washington when they seek reimbursements, because they run into opposition from a majority of other states that don’t want to sacrifice any of their existing funding.
There are some signs of progress. In the recent federal Medicare package, California was allotted $72 million to reimburse hospitals for the cost of emergency care provided to undocumented aliens. L.A. County will receive a portion of that funding, but it’s not much compared with the $340 million the county spends on caring for illegal residents.
In recent years, illegal immigrants have been drawn to low-wage jobs in non-traditional destinations such as Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee. These states are beginning to see themselves as immigration recipients, which may lead to a change in the political calculus in Washington, and more money allotted for reimbursements.
BORDER ISSUES
Proposal: Increase outreach to
immigrants; lobby for expense reimbursements from the federal
government
Obstacles: Polarized political climate; limited control over federal policies; opposition to reimbursement by
non-immigrant destination states
Cost: Anywhere from $125,000 on up annually; federal reimbursements could provide a revenue benefit
Time Frame: Ongoing
