Comments about ‘Bridging the divide: As the legislative session begins this month, the immigration reform battle heats up’

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Published: Sunday, Jan. 9 2011 1:05 a.m. MST

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Ventura, Ca

Our immigration system is not broken, just not enforced. We need to do several things immediately.
1. Make illegal immigration a felony.
2. Mandate E-Verify.
3. Have the National Guard conduct workplace audits.
4. Get rid of any politicians who are more concerned with the needs if illegal aliens than the needs of the citizens they pledged to serve (for example Luz Robles - who has the gall to fly an American Flag on her website).

Watch Dog
Provo, UT

What is heating up is the need to actually enforce our immigration laws. Existing ones!

Provo, UT

We need to make sure our legislators hear our voices. We do not want these Immigration bills watered down!

Iowa City, IA

John C. C. said, "we need to change the law to allow for much greater visa quotas of both permanent and temporary workers."

Why would we want to do that while our unemployment rate is hovering between 9-10%?

Miss Piggie
SLC, Utah

They are not "undocumented immigrants." In most cases they are "false documented immigrants.

Cottonwood Heights, UT

Hopefully in the future we will be able to have a civil conversation about this issue. It is a bit of a leap to say that good hard working people who love their families and do not get in trouble with the law accept that they do not have the appropriate documentation are equal to murders and bank robbers and rapist. The undocumented individuals that I know are wonderful people they serve as Elders Quorum Presidents and Bishops Councilors. I am sure there are bad people among that population just like there are bad people among the general population, but I would guess I have more first hand acquaintances with the undocumented population than those who are calling them all kinds of names. The laws truly are broken. These people have been encouraged to come here by our economic choices and then there is not way to get legal. There is no line to get into for most of these people. It is sad to see people who are so hard hearted and unwilling to look at real solutions to an unfortunate situation.

  • 8:45 p.m. Jan. 9, 2011
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SLC, Utah

When Obama took the oath of office for the President of the United States, he swore to uphold the constitution and execute the laws of the land. He has failed to execute the laws of the land with his stance on illegal immigration. He should be pressing his AG to go after illegals and have them deported. He has not done that. He should be enforcing E-verify so that illegals will not be taking jobs that they are not entitled to. He has not done that. Obama needs to face impeachment.


Tom, your not the only person who knows undocumented people. Many of us have met them in one capacity or another. They are not all sunshine and roses.

They all had a choice to make, and they chose to break the law. You can't call that an honest choice by any twist of the word. They don't have a way to get legal while they are here, but they do have a way to get legal if they go home and come back the right way.

I would suggest sympathy and caring for the American people that have paid billions over the years and had their wages depressed. I would give compassion to those hurt by lawless acts of those who came here without permission, and to those denied government services due to budget restrictions.

I am tired of hearing one side of the story. I am tired of the resentment and distrust cast upon my Hispanic relatives caused by those here illegally and those who support them.

Layton, UT

I fall on the side of compassion for those who come here seeking a better life through hard work, creativity and innovation. I am grateful for the many immigrants in this country and my heart goes out to them in their plight to find acceptance against people who want to lump them all together with drug-dealers, anarchists, criminals, vandals and terrorists. I am ashamed of my fellow countrymen who believe that there're only a fixed number of benefits, jobs, money, and blessings to be had in this country. By sensibly working together and resisting the urge to villify one another, we can find solutions in which all human souls may find peace, liberty, community and happiness.

May we keep families together. May we embrace the children of every culture and find ways to help them reach their dreams--so that our own dreams are all the more possible.

I hold to the optimistic Spirit of my pioneer ancestors--those that made our country great. We are not done, but are still building a bright and strong future together.

Kearns, UT

There seems to be a bit of bias with the inclusion of this meaningless statistic: "Research indicates that on-the-job death rates are disproportionately high for Latino workers. In 2008, Mexican-born workers accounted for 42 percent of foreign-born-worker deaths."
Without including information on what percentage of foreign-born workers are Mexican-born it doesn't tell you anything. If half are Mexican-born then the death rates are disproportionately low. It appears to be an attempt to generate sympathy towards them without giving any real information.

Farmington, UT

Since the feds have recently sued states for trying to improve their own growing illegal immigration problem, I'd like to see states start to sue the feds for sheer negligence.

SLC, Utah


"I'd like to see states start to sue the feds for sheer negligence."

I'd like to see states start suing the feds for costs incurred incident to illegals in thier states. Obama and his ilk insist that immigration is the sole responsibility of the federal government and that states have no say whatever in handling them. Yet the fed does nothing about the billions in costs incurred by states when illegals enter their states running up costs such as law enforcement, education, and unemployment. There's something drastically wrong with this picture.

SLC, Utah

Tom, how can a person be an Elder's quorum president or a member of a Bishopric if he is in violation of our national laws? Has the Church caneled the 12th Article of Faith?

You say that "the laws truly are broken." I think you are mistaken. I think you meant to say "our laws are being broken..." by illegal immigrants.

Our immirgation laws are designed to manage the number of people who are allowed into this country. And, if the laws are executed regularely our population would stablize and our unemployment would remain in the normal range. As it is, we are headed for overpopulation on unsustainable levels and our unemployment will remain at unprecedented high levels. Please view "Immigration Gumballs" on YouTube for more well laid out facts about immigration.

Murray, Ut

If we bring compassion into the discussion, then the compassion shown to Americans and the rest of the world by the lawbreakers needs to be included.

Jazz Bass Man
Wellsville, Utah

These politically correct terms like "lack of documentation" or "undocumented workers" is nothing more than a pathetic attempt by the liberal media to legitimize criminal activity. What are we going to hear next, a drug dealer is an "undocumented pharmacist"? Is a thief an "undocumented collector"?

The overwhelming majority of Americans (AND Utahns) support the enforcement of our federal laws. We WILL NOT accept amnesty in any form, no matter what the liberals call it, and no matter how many times they try and shove it down our throats.

There is nothing wrong with the laws we have on the books, the problem is that the laws are simply not enforced. These immigration laws are an inconvenience for those who want open borders, and who want to turn America into mexico. Similiar to drug laws being an inconvenience to drug dealers. The laws are not the problem, it's the lack of political will for these weak politicians to do their jobs and protect this country from the invasion that is going on.

Iowa City, IA

Tom, Are you suggesting that if someone is faithful to their religion, then they should be exempt from the consequences of breaking the law? You should try explaining that the next time you get a speeding ticket and see what the officer has to say.

Deportation is not a punishment for being a bad person. It is a punishment for violating US immigration laws. Some "good people" do it. Some "bad people" do it.

What worries me the most is what will happen to foreign countries if the US drains them of their "good citizens" that illegally enter the US. Are you under the impression that poverty, oppression, hunger and suffering abroad will decrease if foreign countries suddenly receive an influx of deported "bad people?" I would contend that the amount of suffering in the world will be greater when there are fewer people abroad who want to improve their circumstances.

Cottonwood Heights, UT

One example of where the law is broken is when some one is brought here as a child and grows up and marries a U.S. citizen. There are approximately 3 million mixed unions in this country. The only option is for the undocumented individual to return home to straiten out their paper work, then they are bared from re-entry for 10 years. Being in this country undocumented is a civil offense. There is no mercy in immigration law. The American legal system is built on the premises of balancing justice and mercy, why should immigration law be excluded. Also I know there are many unemployed computer programs clamoring to go to central Utah and live out in the middle of no where and shear sheep. These are good people. We can hide our head in the sand and say that nothing needs to be fixed but that is taking a very narrow, mean spirited stance. That seems to be what makes people feel good about themselves now a days, thinking they are better than other people.

Murray, UT

That's not entirely true Tom. A person brought here as a child, has 180 days from his 18th birthday to return home and make things right.

If they don't, they become in violation of the law just like their parents. If they stay until 19, then they are accessed the 10 year penalty.

There are ways for everyone to come here legally.

Being here illegally can be a civil or criminal offense. The criminal part is usually dropped, since the civil part is deportation. Our compassionate law prefers the civil course, as fining a person, then deporting, takes away resources that may be needed to start over in their home country.

There are billions of good people in this world, most are willing to follow our laws. We should reward them.

Cottonwood Heights, UT

It is comforting to know that we have so many good law abiding citizens in this country who have every thing figured out at the age of 18 and never make a mistake. It gives me renewed hope in the future of our country. Then of course it is worth breaking up 3 million families because of a civil offense.

lex talionis
Sandy, UT

@ Tom : confronted with the facts and truth of the matter you can only resort to sarcasim in responce.. Too bad there is no other reply to the facts of the matter.

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