IMMIGRATION REFORM SPLITS LOCAL LEADERS.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - As the immigration debate dominates national political discussion, local officials are keeping a keen eye on the issue in a community where residents' views are as divided as the rest of the nation's.

The debate hit home last week in a series of student walkouts, including one in which some 200 primarily Latino students from Golden Valley High School marched to City Hall to protest a House bill that would criminalize illegal immigration and build a wall along one-third of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Santa Clarita is roughly 27 percent Latino and the marchers had their share of supporters, yet many local leaders including Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon have maintained a tough line against illegal immigration and day laborers.

"Look, before you can do anything, you have to get your house in order," said James Geoffrey, spokesman for the Santa Clarita Republican, who voted in support of House immigration reform bill HR 4437.

"To do anything else before you have this very basic thing squared away - how can you talk about reforming immigration if you can't control the border?"

The House of Representatives resolution passed in December would make it a felony to enter the United States illegally and also impose tough penalties for people hiring or helping illegal immigrants.

The Senate is debating its own version, which includes hiring more border patrol agents, a guest worker program and a procedure to allow the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States to become legal residents and citizens.

Asked if the local protest and the Senate debate had influenced McKeon's views, Geoffrey said the discussion is still ongoing.

"The Senate's going to do what the Senate's going to do, and we'll see what we'll do when they're done," he said. "You got two sides of an argument. You have that protest, and we have been getting e-mails supportive of the House bill. It's an indication of where the country is - two sides are having an argument."

A poll of 2,000 adults released last week by the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center showed the country divided over the issue: 32 percent said all illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay; 32 percent support a temporary guest-worker program and 27 percent wants them all deported.

It's a split reflected in city and county government. When county Supervisors Gloria Molina and Zev Yaroslavsky made a motion supporting the Senate immigration reform bill, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, whose district includes the Santa Clarita Valley, opposed it.

Equating the Senate proposal as "amnesty," Antonovich instead pushed for the House bill.

"Illegal immigration has created cynicism for the law among taxpayers and those who have waited patiently to obtain green cards and visas to immigrate to the United States legally," Antonovich said in a statement. "It undermines our economy and puts pressure on people to pay even more in taxes for those who are here illegally....The first priority of immigration reform must be to secure our borders."

Divergent views have emerged on the City Council, whose members in the early 1990s tackled the issue of day laborers gathering along San Fernando Road each morning seeking work by asking immigration officials to sweep the area.

Councilman Cameron Smyth, who is running for the 38th state Assembly District seat, revived the hot-button issue in January when he sought advice from the city attorney on cracking down on day laborers and penalizing those who hire them.

"We want people to support the law and to follow the law," Smyth said. "When we talk about the day labor situation, we've received complaints from businesses - they feel nervous. We have an obligation that those businesses and our residents can feel comfortable patronizing these businesses.

"I think businesses that hire illegals should be held accountable as well. People hire illegals below market wages. They're hired to be exploited. I think there is accountability very much on the employers as well.... I absolutely recognize and understand people's desire for a better quality of life for their families. I don't begrudge anybody for that, but I do believe the laws that are in place should be followed."

Councilman Frank Ferry has emerged as a moderate on the issue. Ferry, who will face re-election April 11, met the student marchers at City Hall to hear their concerns.

"For a 14-year-old kid, (the House proposal) makes them very anxious, depressed and worried," Ferry said. "There is a lot of fear for them. Most have no choice whether they wanted to immigrate or not. This is their home. This is where their friends are, and they have every intention of being taxpaying, productive citizens.

"United States has to balance its absolute right to determine the border and who enters and leaves its border. And it also needs to balance the economic need for a work force."

Ferry, an assistant principal at Saugus High School, said he was supportive of the Senate's proposals.

"Is it better to have a system where people tell the truth, and the United States is aware of who they are?" he said. "I would have to say yes. ... A lot of the individuals who are against undocumented people probably have never met and work with their children to see just how beautiful and bright they are. I think that's the whole fear of diversity.

"The U.S. government, had they put the assets in controlling its borders, they could've come up with a solution. You're looking at a lack of will. We have a great nation where when they decide to do something, they can get it done."

According to 2005 Pew Hispanic Center survey, illegal immigrants make up nearly 5 percent of the labor force. About 20 percent of illegal immigrants work in construction.

Holly Schroeder, chief executive officer for the Building Industry Association's Greater Los Angeles/Ventura chapter, said the local trade group is watching Smyth's proposal closely. The group subscribes to the National Association of Home Builders stance supporting a guest- worker program.

"They are issues that affect business and there is a role for business," Schroeder said. "But I don't think they should seal the entire border. The government needs to take a lead role to ensure there is a (labor) system that's streamlined and easy."

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com

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