70 protesters shout for Fox to 'go home'

With her white hair and diminutive build, Eileen Olson didn't quite fit in with the others who came to the Utah Capitol on Wednesday to protest the visit of Mexican President Vicente Fox.

But she was there, an 81-year-old grandmother, yelling with the rest for Fox to "go home" and fix his own borders and economy. She came with two daughters, a grandson and a great-grandson. They were part of a group of about 70 people who participated in the protest that Alex Segura, director of the Utah Minuteman Project, helped organize.

"I just think that it's an extremely serious problem for our country," said Olson, a native Utahn who now lives in California. "I would tell Fox that he needs to fix his country. He shouldn't be sending his poor people to our country."

She's not alone in that view. Most of the protesters said they were concerned that Fox was doing little to "fix" the immigration problem from within. They were part of a diverse group that ranged from Olson to a 24-year-old student and a Mexican-American woman.

"I expect Vicente Fox, or whoever takes office, to take care of the problem," said Areli Thomas, who was born in Mexico but came to Utah legally several years ago. "Stop expecting the U.S. government to do your job."

Ryan Love, of Riverton, said he was disappointed in Utah leaders for even allowing the Mexican president to come to the state. Love is only 24 years old and says immigration is an issue that will affect his future.

"As for Governor Huntsman as a whole, I have no opinion, but I'm extremely offended that he would slobber all over himself to bring Fox to Utah," Love said. "I'm young. I have a long future in this country. I don't want to see it overrun."

Wednesday, said Love, was his first time ever participating in a protest.

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