Among the four options presented in the Morning News poll, 31 percent favored "illegal alien," 25 percent chose "illegal immigrant," 23 percent picked "undocumented" and 17 percent opted for simply "illegals."

More than one quarter of Utahns say they know immigrants living in the state without documentation, according to the poll.

Further study of the poll shows Utahns are conflicted in their sentiments about illegal residents.

Most Utahns favor efforts of Utah Minuteman to close the borders, and they even support profiling at job sites. But they also supported in-state tuition for undocumented students.

More than half believe children born in the United States to illegal parents shouldn't receive citizenship. Rescinding that right would take a constitutional amendment. But they also favor a "program" that would allow them to stay in America without penalty and obtain citizenship.

Nearly 60 percent think illegal immigrants hurt the state and national economy, but they also believe children of illegal immigrants ought to be able to receive an education, medical care and free school lunch.

The executive director of the Sutherland Institute, a conservative political think tank in Salt Lake City, struggles with how to deal with illegal immigrants.

There is a humanity that has to be applied to illegal immigration "because these are real people with real families. They shouldn't be treated like objects or cattle," Paul T. Mero said. "But it is kind of like the dead body in the room. You can't get past the fact that it is illegal."

Still, Mero sees illegal immigration like a speed limit law. People speed all the time, but they don't turn themselves in.

"And this has that feel to it," he said. "It's not an exact analogy, but it has that nuance."

Mero also likens illegal immigration to people moving from one African nation to another seeking a better life.

"You're really almost dealing with refugees," he said. "What do you do? I really don't know."

Mike Lee worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office before becoming general counsel in Huntsman's administration. He knows there is frustration that the states don't do more to tackle immigration. But a supremacy clause in the U.S. Constitution says it's a federal jurisdiction to regulate immigration.

"We can't do it," Lee said. "We can't round people up and deport them."

Clearly, this is an issue that's here to stay, Huntsman says. "You just can't wish everyone home and expect it to disappear."

Coming Monday: Border Patrol

Federal agents call them "undocumented immigrants." Members of the anti-immigration movement call them "illegal aliens." You might know them as your neighbors. According to the latest estimates, 85,000 Utahns entered the country illegally, mainly through Mexico. Beginning today in a seven-part series, "Life in the Shadows," the Deseret Morning News explores the facts and the myths of the emotionally charged issue of illegal immigration.

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E-mail: lucy@desnews.com