LOS ANGELES — Weighing in again on illegal immigration, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday that volunteers patrolling the Mexican border have "done a terrific job," and called for the removal of a Spanish-language TV station's provocative billboards.

Schwarzenegger, speaking to talk radio hosts known for criticizing and campaigning against illegal immigration, said the Minuteman Project in Arizona had been successful in securing the border.

"I think they've done a terrific job, and look, they've cut down the crossing of illegal immigrants by a huge percentage," the governor said. "It just shows that it works when you go and make an effort. … I mean it's a doable thing, and it's just that the federal government is not doing their job."

The Republican governor's comments came a week after he faced a barrage of criticism for telling a gathering of newspaper publishers that the United States needed to "close the borders." He apologized the next day, blaming his faulty English.

California Democrats blasted the governor's remarks, noting that President Bush has called the Arizona volunteers "vigilantes."

Assemblyman Hector De La Torre, D-South Gate, accused the governor of trying to appeal to conservatives to counter slipping job approval ratings.

"He's going after immigrants, much like (former governor) Pete Wilson did," De La Torre said. "Scapegoating and immigrant-bashing is the last refuge of a wounded politician."

Schwarzenegger, speaking to the afternoon drive-time "The John & Ken Show" on KFI-AM, also called on KRCA-TV to take down its new billboards.

The billboards, which Schwarzenegger called "extremely divisive," identify the station's market as "Los Angeles, Mexico." About 75 are going up around Southern California.

"I think the big mistake is that it promotes illegal aliens to come in here. And it's the last thing that we need," the governor said. "They should take it down immediately."

On the billboards, two Hispanic news anchors sit in front of the downtown skyline with Mexico City's Angel of Independence monument superimposed on the picture and "Los Angeles, CA" printed above.

A red X covers the "CA" and "Mexico" is written next to it. Also on the billboard: "Tu ciudad. Tu equipo," meaning "Your city. Your team."

Schwarzenegger did not explain how the image promotes illegal immigration.

Messages left after business hours at the Burbank offices of Liberman Broadcasting were not immediately returned. The company owns KRCA and three other Spanish-language TV stations in California and Texas.

Before Schwarzenegger's comments, company executive vice president Lenard Liberman told the Los Angeles Times, "We tell the story behind LA, and we tell the story behind Mexico."

Referring to critics of the ads, he said, "If they find that offensive, I'm sorry. But you just have to drive around LA to know that this is a Hispanic city."