While I am a strong proponent of legal immigration, I am 100% opposed to granting amnesty to immigrants who entered the country illegally. It is the wrong policy for California, it is the wrong policy for America, and it is grossly unfair to those immigrants who have followed the law to obtain legal status.

The truth is we are always going to have a problem with illegal immigration as long as there is a demand for undocumented labor. We need to build an “economic fence” with a strong e-verification system that holds employers accountable for only hiring documented workers. The lure of well-paying jobs is the ultimate magnet attracting illegal immigrants to our state. To remove it, we have to give employers the tools they need to do the right thing, and then we must strictly enforce the law…

I have been criticized for opposing Proposition 187, which was on the California ballot in 1994. It is true that I am opposed to cutting off public education and healthcare services to immigrant children. I do not believe that kids should be punished for the sins of their parents.

But I do understand the frustration in California that led to the passage of Proposition 187. Our schools have class sizes that are too big. We need comprehensive reform of our K-12 education system to drive money out of Sacramento and down to local school districts. Our education resources must be dedicated to the advancement of our children, not wasted on bureaucracy.