Sages of the city council

CALIFORNIA AND IMMIGRANTS: With Open Arms
ALEX PADILLA

As we celebrate America's birthday this July 4, there is an opportunity for each of us to reflect on how far we have come as a nation * and where we are going.

America continues to be a beacon of freedom, hope, and opportunity for people across the globe.

California, long a home to a diverse population and long an adopted homeland for immigrants to America, has a responsibility to ensure that the American Dream is kept alive for everyone, regardless of what language is spoken or where one was born.

In 2003, the State is as diverse as ever. One in four residents of California is foreign-born, and one in three workers is an immigrant.

And whereas immigrants in the early 20th century were primarily from Japan, China, Italy or Eastern Europe, today's immigrants are from each and every corner of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Some of the critical issues faced by immigrants in years past* from labor conditions to education to the need for housing * are just as prevalent now as they were 100 years ago. The names may have changed, but the issues are the same.

The immigration experience in California * whether it was Chinese, Japanese, Italians, or Eastern Europeans starting new lives and pursuing new opportunities * has been a road that is rough at first, but that with hard work and perseverance has invariably led to success via integration into American society as a whole.

We need to work to provide today's immigrants with the same types of opportunities that immigrants had throughout the 20th century. But until now, we have only scratched the surface of this issue and have not yet given the immigrants of today the attention they so deserve.

A report issued by the RAND Corporation, "Immigration in a Changing Economy: California's Experience--Questions and Answers," found that alongside the correlation of education level and income, the economic gap between immigrants and native Californians is widening. With this gap comes social costs. In California, immigrants in the labor force have helped to drive California's economy at a rate higher than that of other states.

At the same time, immigrants have been the single most important factor in increasing the number of students enrolled in primary and secondary schools in the State. While immigrants have given their blood, sweat and tears to California, California has not given immigrants nearly as much in return.

California is in a position to assist immigrants in obtaining what many work for nearly all of their lives: the dream of American citizenship.

As a City, we have already taken steps to assist immigrants become part of the fabric of our society. Los Angeles now officially recognizes the matricula consular as a valid form of identification. Immigrants are able to sign up for water and power service, can obtain library cards, and can enroll in public schools. While all of these programs provide a starting-off point for immigrants, it is incumbent upon us as Californians to provide a more comprehensive approach for enabling those who wish to become citizens to do so.

What if there were a State agency that assisted immigrants with issues such as education, work permits, and health care? Wouldn't this type of agency embody the spirit of the California Dream * and the American Dream * and impart it upon future generations?

In fact, there once was a State agency that did precisely that * the California Commission of Immigration and Housing. From 1913-1945, this commission's goal was ""to encourage the immigrant who regards this country as his home to become an American citizen," and dealt with the critical issues facing the immigrant population in California.

In June, 2002, The State of California's Little Hoover Commission issued a detailed 92-page report, "We The People: Helping Newcomers Become Californians," that outlined a series of steps we can take to make sure that all residents of California can become productive members of society. Noting that "immigrants founded an estimated 12 percent of the 500 fasted growing corporations in the country*[and] one in five new patents in the United States is awarded to an immigrant," the Little Hoover Commission report's recommendations were threefold:

* One, encourage immigrants to establish residency and to become citizens.
* Two, invest in immigrants who commit to become citizens by giving them the tools they need for success, including access to education, health care, and even such everyday privileges as eligibility for driver's licenses.
* Three, advocate on the federal level for reform of current immigration policies that provide better service and a well-crafted immigration policy that ties immigration policies to community needs.

The State Legislature can seize this opportunity to move to implement the recommendations, now over a year old, made by the Little Hoover Commission. And while small steps have been taken in this regard, we can and should try harder to address these salient issues.

Because of our history, because of our diversity, and because of our creativity, we as Californians are stronger than ever. Let us take these skills that are truly the envy of the world, and turn our efforts towards embracing those very people who have made the California Dream a reality.

Alex Padilla is President of the Los Angeles City Council.