Appearing on Fox News with Greta Van Susteren (Feb. 23), Governor Schwarzenegger briefly emphasized the need for immigration reform in light of California’s economic woes. “We've got to go and make a decision so that people can come to this country legitimately, rather than having quotas there, because we need the farm workers,” said Gov. Schwarzenegger. “We need the construction workers. We need to have people do certain jobs that maybe that we cannot fill otherwise,” he said.
Another immigrant demographic Schwarzenegger desires to reach is foreign students in California for schooling. Schwarzenegger thinks it's a problem that students spend a few years in California and are sent back upon completing their education. “I think they should stay here. They should work here. And they should take that knowledge that they have gained in California and put it to good use for California if they're studying here,” he said. Portraying himself as a politician tough on illegal immigration, Schwarzenegger said that his state’s strict laws forbid undocumented workers from working in the state. “Well, as you know, we have strict laws that you can't hire anyone that is here undocumented in the state,” he said. However, he also acknowledged the current system’s cracks, noting illegal immigration somewhat effects California’s spiraling economy.
“There's people that break the law, and all those kind of things. But the fact of the matter is, yes, it does have -- create an extra burden on our economy and also on our budget situation.” In California’s recovery efforts and the governor’s claims of illegals breaking the law, the state is dealing with a delicate balancing act and needs to juggle these two issues.
Governor Schwarzenegger's call for immigration reform is problematic in its own right, appearing to hold contradicting stances at times. As congressional members seek to impose a
