Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest proposals to close California's budget shortfall would end public assistance for most new legal immigrants, eliminating emergency cash, food and medical aid for those who don't yet qualify for federal welfare, reports LaTi.
The proposal would represent an about-face for the state. In 1996, Congress denied access to welfare for most legal immigrants who weren't citizens. California and other states established programs to fill the gap.
It is estimated that the proposal, if enacted, would save the state $304 million annually.
In theory I agree with this decision, but in reality, what bothers me is my state, CA's, lack of consistency on the issue. CA does so much for illegal immigrants, it seems strange that they slap those who struggled and sweated to get here in the face.
ReplyDeleteThe annual savings of this will be less than $200million, less than 1% of the shortfall. There are much larger fish they could try frying if they really wanted to, but that would actually affect VOTERS and racial/social voting blocs. Thus it would hurt reelection chances. If anything this type of cut came it all it should have come at the end when they are only a few hundred million short of balancing the budget, not at the beginning when they'll still be $19.8Billion short. It's a sad joke and shows why CA's been going downhill ever since Wilson left office.