For emphasis..
One of the additional burdens on California public schools since the 1960s is illegal immigration and the children of illegal aliens living in the state. Prop. 187, of course, said that illegal aliens would not be entitled to public education in California. Are you willing to enforce at least that element of Prop 187 and make sure that illegal aliens aren’t going to public schools in California?
MCCLINTOCK: I intend to enforce all provisions of Proposition 187. I supported that initiative. I actually ran radio ads for it in 1994. Proposition 187 never had a fair day in court. When it was challenged it was the governor’s responsibility to defend it. He refused to discharge that responsibility. I intend to see that Proposition 187 does have its full, fair hearing in court, and the best way to do that is to begin to enforce it.
You will actually order state agencies under your control as governor to act as if Prop 187 is the law of California?
MCCLINTOCK: I will use every power available to the governor to see that our immigration laws are enforced.
And then you will move forward with an appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court?
MCCLINTOCK: Exactly.
I understand that Gov. Gray Davis made a deal under the auspices of the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco to drop Prop 187, can you at this point simply pick it up and resume that appeal?
MCCLINTOCK: I believe that I can. I certainly will do everything in my power to do so.
Outside of enforcing the provisions of Prop 187 are there any other things that you have planned to deal with the problems caused by illegal immigration in California?
MCCLINTOCK: I intend to bring maximum pressure to bear on the federal government to discharge its fundamental responsibility to protect our borders. I intend to direct all state agencies to do whatever they possibly can to see that our immigration laws are enforced. And I intend to veto legislation such as S.B. 60 that would provide valid state identification documents in the form of California driver’s license to illegal immigrants, the only purpose of which is to undermine our immigration laws. And let me point out, in addition to $4 billion in direct costs of illegal immigration to the state government alone—and that’s a conservative estimate from the Legislative Analyst’s Office—the most damaging thing about illegal immigration is that it undermines the process of legal immigration accompanied by assimilation that is a strength of our nation, and in fact its foundation.
If the Feds refuse to act, will you as governor consider using the state national guard to police California’s border with Mexico?
MCCLINTOCK: As I said, I intend to use every authority available to the governors to enforce our immigration law.
So, you would consider using the National Guard?
MCCLINTOCK: If it is within the authority of the governor.
Gray Davis approved or signed a bill allowing in-state tuition to be given to illegal aliens in Cal-State University campuses, and the UC Board of Regents mirrored that at University of California campuses. Would you seek to reverse that also?
MCCLINTOCK: Yes. I opposed it in the legislature and I would absolutely seek to reverse it.
The argument is often made by people on the other side of this issue that Republicans that support Prop 187 and would cut off funding for various benefits for illegal aliens are in fact anti-Latino. How would you deal with that argument?
MCCLINTOCK: There are millions of Latino families who have obeyed our immigration laws and come to our nation legally with the express purpose of becoming Americans and seeing their children succeed and prosper as Americans. Illegal immigration is a process of cutting in line in front of the people who are obeying our immigration law. And that is not anti-Latino, it is not anti-immigrant. It is unfair to all of those from around the world who have stood in line to obey our laws to grant preference to those who have cut in line in front of them.
It is common belief here in Washington that the Bush White House, particularly Karl Rove, has a strategy to reach out to the Latino vote. Part of this has involved floating the idea of an amnesty for illegal aliens from Mexico, also an unwillingness to engage in any policy, particularly the kinds your talking about now, that might be used to alienate Latino votes, and they would think cost them the state of California in a presidential election in 2004. How would you address those arguments?
MCCLINTOCK: Latino voters are Americans, and I heartily disagree with the notion that Latino voters are somehow different from any other voters. Latino voters care very much about exactly the same issues as every other American, and that includes a great concern over illegal immigration.
Michelle Malkin, the nationally syndicated columnist, reported last week, and so did the Investors Business Daily, that Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante was a member of a group called MEChA when he was a student at Fresno State University, and quoted documents from that group that arguably have a racialist point of view, and a separatist point of view. Are you familiar with this group MEChA, and do you believe that Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante should disavow this group and its views?
MCCLINTOCK: Yes, I am familiar with it, and yes I do believe he should disavow his association with that group.
Why do you believe there has been almost no attention in the liberal press to Bustamante’s association with MEChA?
MCCLINTOCK: (Chuckles.) I can’t imagine why. (Laughter.)
Would you challenge the liberal press to take a look at this story in the course of your campaign, the story of Cruz Bustamante’s association with MEChA?
MCCLINTOCK: All I know is the published reports that indicate his association with that group. If those published reports are correct, I believe that Cruz Bustamante has a great deal of explaining to do, if he still supports the aims of that organization.