House Candidates Split Along Party Lines Over Prop. 187

SANTA ANA —  Debate on the best way to stem illegal immigration into California split along party lines Saturday at a gathering of most of the county’s congressional candidates at Rancho Santiago College.

Republicans backed Proposition 187 to end social services, education and all but emergency health care to illegal immigrants. Democrats favored military patrols of the U.S.-Mexico border and vigorous enforcement of employer sanctions.

But Victor A. Wagner Jr., a Libertarian candidate running for the seat in the 47th Congressional District argued that most Americans don’t want the low-paying jobs. “If illegals disappear, the cost of lettuce would double in a month or so,” Wagner said.

The forum, organized by the Concord Coalition of Orange County and United We Stand, also focused on congressional accountability and the federal deficit.

Incumbent Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Huntington Beach suggested eliminating government support for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which led his Democratic challenger in the 45th District, Brett Williamson, to bemoan having to tell his daughter that Sesame Street might be “on the chopping block.”

Rohrabacher replied: “I’m sorry, but taxpayers can’t afford $300 million a year to keep Big Bird alive.”

On Proposition 187, Gary Kingsbury, the Democratic challenger to Republican Rep. Christopher Cox in the 47th District, said it will foster juvenile delinquency. “If you think you have a gang problem now, wait until after 187 passes,” he said. Kingsbury said he believes the military should become more involved in stopping immigrants from crossing the border.

Cox, who favors Proposition 187, said the Democratic strategy of enforcing employment laws would make it harder for undocumented immigrants to get work--but would allow them to stay in the state. “Prop. 187 doesn’t touch any illegal immigrant who works,” he said.