2 Officials Seek Limits On Legal Immigration

Howard Fischer, Arizona Daily Star, Capitol Media Services, May 6

PHOENIX—Two of the organizers of an initiative to halt government services for illegal entrants said Wednesday that they also want curbs on legal immigration.

Rep. Randy Graf, R-Green Valley, said even the influx of those who enter this country legally depresses the wages of men already living here.

And Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said he favors a moratorium on legal immigration.

The comments came as members of the Protect Arizona Now campaign announced they have more than 60,000 signatures to put their measure on the November ballot.

They need 122,612 valid names on petitions by July 1. But given the percentage of signatures that normally are voided, organizers acknowledged they really need 140,000-plus.

The measure would make most nonemergency government services off limits to those not in the country legally. It would also require presentation of certain documents before anyone can cast a ballot.

Graf cited a study released this week which concluded that the increase in immigration from 1980 through 2000 reduced the average American income by 4 percent, or $1,700.

That study by Harvard economist George Borjas said the impact is greater on those without a high-school education, especially minorities. And Borjas said the results show no difference whether the immigrants are here legally or not.

Pearce said the influx of people from other countries “is on its way to destroying America if we don’t get our arms around immigration in this country, both legal and illegal.”

He noted that many of the terrorists involved in the Sept. 11 attacks were here legally.

The validity of Borjas’ findings is under debate.

Robert Lerman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, called the report “a quality piece of work.” But he suggested there are other factors that might make Borjas’ conclusions invalid, such as the way he calculates wage rates.

Lerman also said the biggest impact of immigration is really on those who are high-school dropouts, the people most likely to be in direct competition with the new residents. He called it “dubious” whether immigration affects the wages of those who are college or even high-school graduates.

Jared Bernstein, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, said the figures Borjas came up with are higher than those in other studies.