Hide Article Text (OCR)
O.C. supervisors say they lack power to solve county's immigration woesGOVERNMENT: Board members explain their response to a grand jury report.By CHRIS KNAPThe Orange County RegisterFacing an audience of skeptical grand jurors, Orange County supervisors insisted Tuesday that they are very concerned about the problem of illegal immigration but that solutions are mostly outside their jurisdiction.“Illegal immigration is a problem. Nobody is skirting that issue. But until that border is controlled we can spin our wheels for 10 years and it’s not going to do any good,” Supervisor Roger Stanton said.“This is not an issue we have shied away from,” Supervisor Gaddi Vasquez agreed. “The reality is that it is a federal issue. Ifreform is going to happen, it has to happen in Washington.”The supervisors were seeking to explain their official response to a report in which the Orange County grand jury called for a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration.In the response, formally adopted Tuesday, the supervisors did not endorse the jury’s call for a three-year ban on immigration; said closure of job centers for day laborers is outside their jurisidiction; and declined to appoint a task force to study the costs of illegal immigration, saying not enough information is available.In sum, County Administrative Officer Ernie Schneider said, eight of the grand jury’s suggestions were out of the board’s jurisdiction or purview, six are being addressed, and one — deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of minor crimes — isunder study.Hispanic-rights groups last week hailed the objectivity of the response as an indication that the grand jury’s report was without merit or substance.But one juror called the supervisors “gutless” for their response.Tuesday, after four of the five supervisors spoke out on the costs and problems of illegal immigration, the grand jurors were more sympathetic.“I have put away the tar and feathers,” Dolores Seroy of Santa Ana, who was co-chairwoman of the jury’s immigration committee, told the supervisors. But she added that she would like to see a more crusading stance.“We feel that if it doesn’t start on the lowest level, with the supervisors and the cities pushing, the federal government will do nothing.”
Newspaper Details
Santa Ana Orange County Register
Santa Ana, California, US
Wed, Sep 22, 1993
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 05 Mar 2024
Other Publications Near Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana Pacific Weekly Blade
Santa Ana Excelsior
Santa Ana News
Santa Ana Evening Blade
Santa Ana Orange County Register Evening
