Immigration issue: Opponents & Advocates

She wanted to make a difference and later joined former Gov. Mike Leavitt's Hispanic Advisory Council at age 21.

Robles' parents thought Utah would be a safe place for their daughter, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In fact, Robles has emerged as a leader among officials striving to make sure people of all backgrounds are represented by Utah government.

Now interim director of the State Office of Ethnic Affairs, Robles is an articulate advocate for concerns of minority communities. She finds herself in formal and informal discussions on the undocumented population.

Recently an anti-immigration activist told her, "I'm not against legal immigration."

"We're all immigrants," Robles told him. "Don't be so sure that all of your ancestors were documented."

With a background in multicultural health issues, she is particularly interested in the lack of appropriate health care for immigrant children.

"For me, health is the most fascinating piece," Robles said. "If you want healthy communities, you have to invest. Why are we not investing? Why do we not want this community to be healthy?"

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Tony Yapias

Tony Yapias has learned to brush it off when he's mistaken for Mexican. He says his Spanish accent and vocabulary has evolved from his time here, so much so that he's even mistaken for a Mexican in his hometown of Junin, Peru.

"I've learned more than anything to embrace everyone," said Yapias, who has become a vocal immigrant and Latino rights activist after Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. replaced him as director of the state Office of Hispanic Affairs.

Yapias sees racism wrapped into the immigration debate. At a Minuteman rally this past summer, he was told "his" Mexican government is corrupt.

"What it tells me is, they are ill-informed about their basic facts," he said. "Just the simple fact they think you're Mexican. People need to do their homework if they start pointing fingers."

Yapias, who had surgery for thyroid cancer in early August, hasn't let his recovery slow his activism. He helped organize efforts to aid three Latino evacuees of Hurricane Katrina and is one of the organizers of an upcoming Latino leadership summit.

Yapias said he never counted on taking on the role of Latino and immigrant community activist after he left the Hispanic Affairs office.

But he found himself unable to remain quiet this past legislative session as hundreds of undocumented immigrants protested the eminent replacement of the drivers' licenses with driving privilege cards.