The Region - News from Aug. 26, 1986

Harold Ezell says he simply wants the nation’s lawmakers to view first-hand the “invasion” of illegal aliens. So the controversial western commissioner for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service has sent invitations to U.S. senators and representatives from the Western states to be his guests on nighttime tours of the U.S.--Mexico border beginning this week. “The problem (illegal immigration) is so severe that they need to see it first hand,” Ezell said, explaining why he issued the written invitations to members of Congress from California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii. U.S. Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego) and staff members from two other congressional offices have accepted spots on the three tours scheduled Wednesday, Friday and Sept. 3. Ezell’s critics say he is using the tours to allow him to play politics with the issue of immigration.