Opinion: We like gardeners, we just want them to walk to work
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A new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California finds a big majority of Californians (60%) believe the state benefits from immigrants’ hard work and job skills. Moreover, 64% of residents say illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply for work permits.
But Californians also believe illegal immigrants need exercise. They should be pedestrians, busriders and bike riders; 64% of likely voters oppose state legislation allowing them to get driver’s licenses.
In today’s La Opinion, Nativo Lopez, president of Mexican American Political Assn., rails against the suvery’s findings. It’s in Spanish so here’s a translation:
It’s something so contradictory, so selfish, so ignorant. It says that it’s fine for the undocumented to work for our benefit, for our service, cleaning our houses, mowing our lawns, cooking, but it’s not all right for us to give them a driving permit so they can get to these places where they work.
Francisco Estrada, spokesman for the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, tries to put a positive spin on the findings:
I think the results demonstrate that although anti-immigrant sentiment continues to exist, people recognize the benefit of immigrants in our community.
The PPIC survey, entitled Californians and Their Government: If You Lead, Will They Follow? Voters, Leaders Not On Same Reform Page, also has information on residents’ attitudes about a host of other issues, including moving the presidential primary, the economy and redistricting.