Twenty years ago, the citizens of California qualified Proposition 187 for the ballot, a law that would have withheld public services such as health care and education from those in the country illegally.
Most of the measure was struck down as unconstitutional in federal court. But Latino legislators say 187’s potential impact and the cultural alienation they personally experienced still stings. To right the perceived wrong, the Latino Caucus wishes to purge some of the language in the law.
Exactly what language does the caucus want to remove from the books? Are there good reasons to dredge up the past? Do the issues stirred up by 187 still resonate today?
Guests:
Pete Wilson, Former Governor of California, 1991-1999
Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Salinas), representing Assembly District 30th—which encompasses all of San Benito and parts of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and Monterey counties. He is also Vice Chair of the California Legislative Latino Caucus