College District Opposes Prop. 187

Trustees of the Los Angeles Community College District, where minorities compose nearly three-quarters of the 104,000 students, have joined the growing roster of local public officials and groups to oppose Proposition 187, the controversial immigration initiative.

By a 6-0 vote Wednesday night, the district’s Board of Trustees went on record opposing the Nov. 8 ballot measure that, among other restrictions, would deny illegal immigrants access to the state’s public colleges and universities.

“In a nutshell, folks, Proposition 187 is a demagogue’s dream,” said Trustee David Lopez-Lee, a USC professor who sponsored the board’s resolution. Lopez-Lee also blasted Gov. Pete Wilson for supporting the measure, which Lopez-Lee said “appeals to the basest of emotions.”

Lopez-Lee complained that the measure would discriminate against legal Asian and Latino residents because they would be the most likely ones to have their citizenship status challenged. And he charged that federal officials have never fully enforced existing federal provisions against hiring illegals.

At present, the state’s community colleges generally accept illegal immigrants as students, although they pay the same higher fees as non-California residents. The Los Angeles district asks students if they are U. S. citizens, but only for the purpose of determining fees.

Under the measure, the community colleges, Cal State and University of California systems would be required to verify the citizenship status of new and existing students beginning in the spring, and would have to report suspected illegal immigrants to authorities.

Proponents of the so-called “Save Our State” measure argue that illegal immigrants should not have access to publicly subsidized college educations. The measure would also bar illegal immigrants from a range of other state- and county-funded benefits, including non-emergency health care.