Reader comments
Utahns want crackdown on illegal immigration

I wouldn't vote for any candidate that is not willing to speak up and address the problems of illegal immigration.
It is an overwhelming problem!
I was shocked and disheartened to hear our state was going to Mexico, to hire teachers from Mexico, to teach in our public schools. I think that was the breaking straw for me. The illegals get enough benefits already, it is not fair to the students whom are english speaking US citizens. The school system has already been dumbed down enough to accomodate for these non english speaking students. It puts our children at a disadvantage when it comes to learning. 6th grade in Utah is comparable to 3rd grade in other states.

The crack down must come in the form of going after businesses that employ these illeal aliens. They are not immigrants that have gone through any immigration process. Our city and state laws require all business to obey state and federal laws. Businesses are violating these state, city and federal laws by employing them so we need to punish these businesses and take away there business license. Then we need to make it unpleasant for the illegal aliens being in this state. By state constitution the children of these illegals must prove citizenship and legal status that burden the Utah education systems with their non english speaking children. The illegals have no rights, freedoms, or the access to any social programs. They do not pay taxes, except sales tax, and often falsify documents to not pay that. Every aspect of the americans rights and freedoms have and are compromised by the illegal foreign nationals. They have not earned the respect of the american people as they live and hide in their underground illegal communities of deceit, lies, and acts of terrorism. Laws atacking businesses employing illegals openly is how it should be done and state agency's forbidden to support illegals.

Agree'd. In California, where I live, my grandchildren can't get a decent education because spanish speaking "anchors" demand and receive spanish speaking teachers. All this does is hold the rest of the class back. Enough of this nonsense. They also get free hot lunches under the WIC program (which goes to waste) that my grandkids can't get! Its gotten so doggoned out of control. No wonder people are mad.

A comprehensive solution is urgently needed. Expelling 12 million people will only add chaos. Labor will be more expensive and prices will shoot up. Try paying $5 for a piece of lettuce, potatos or tomatos. Some towns in NJ tried tougher measures and now they are regretting it. Samll business owners, contractors and landlords are luring them back. We need an enhanced or better working permit program to allow those already here and with no criminal records work in this country. Otherwise exploitation and other abuses will continue. We need to accept the reality of this crisis, and move forward.

US legislators are cowards. They see a chance for votes if they let illgals become citizens with amnesty. Utah senators are just as bad as all the others. In my opinion most all of them could be impeached---each one took an oath to uphold the Constistitution. One of the major responsibilities of the federal government is to protect our borders, which, obviously, is not being done.

Hopefully, our state legislators will have the courage to do what the federal government is unwilling to do.

Yes, my vote will always go to the one who is willing to address this issue and uphold the constitution at all levels of government.

While Illegal emigration has to be stopped for numerous reasons, there is no denying that there is a critical need for workers. These issues must be addressed simultainiously.

What a shocking headline!

When did this happen? News to me! Does this mean something will be done about it? I'm confident our elected politicians will move on this immediately. Surely this is something we can take care of in a timely manner...

It's interesting to watch the Republican Party falling on its sword on this issue. They will lose the votes of an entire generation of Hispanic citizens through their apparent bigotry (note that I said "apparent"--I'm not suggesting that they're all bigots) on this topic. It's time for the state to encourage the rising generation of Hispanics to become fully integrated into American society, not to make them feel like unwanted outsiders. It's the right thing to do, and Mr. Donnelson and his ilk are pandering to the worst instincts in American politics.

It's extremely important that Utah, as well as the United States, return to the rule of law which made this counrty great. For too many years lawmakeres have mostly ignored the illegal immigration problem. As a result we're in a very dangerous situation. It's dangerous not only for security reasons, but for the tremendous unfair tax burden it is levying on its citizens. It would be well for President Bush and Congress to take bolder, positive steps to remedy the situation than has hitherto been done.

I can understand the frustrations of the people of St. George about illegals. I'm sure many of them "escaped" from California only to find the same problem there. Something has to be done. Has anyone really calculated the cost of illegal immigration?

After years of fighting the battle of illegal aliens I am finished! My job is outsourced to the illegals, my kids are forced to learn spanish in the schools, ect. ect.
I hope Utahns enjoy the future they have chosen by ignoring the illegal alien crisis. Good luck, I'm leaving the state .

Councilman Orton sure didn't get it when he thought that other issues were more important than Immigration for the citizens of St. George. Maybe he was representing the wrong constituency? Sounds like he wanted to talk about issues that business favors and not the real issues that affect real people? As for comprehensive reform in Utah....it isn't comprehensive reform that is needed. What is needed is a willingness on the part of coward politicians in the state legislature to stand up to GOV. RHINO Huntsman Jr. and pass laws that take the goodies and benefits away that attract illegals to Utah. Modeling our laws along Oklahoma's is a great place to start. Contrary to some of the people quoted, this isn't a complicated issue. Yes, it is emotional because people are trying to protect their language borders and culture. It's a natural self protection mode we all have when we want to survive. Face it you elites we are being invaded and colonized and the people are sick and tired of it. You have no right to cheap labor at the expense of our nations future. "We the People" will stop you.

I just moved my family from California six months ago and have seen the problems that illegal immigration cause. We had hospitals shut down because they were inundated with illegals seeking medical treatment and then not paying the bills. Crime is WAY up and most of the increase was from illegals. We lived in a lovely neighborhood and started seeing gang markings on walls and houses and that was the last straw that brought us here.

Don't get me wrong. I am 100% for LEGAL immigration but when people cross the borders ILLEGALLY so that they can take advantage of our system of government then there is something wrong with the system.

I live in the Los Angeles area. Illegal immigration has for the most part destroyed public education in CA. My wife, who is a teacher, has to dedicate a lot of time during the class day to teach these kids English. The other half of her classroom gets left sitting there with no instruction during that time. A lot of time and money is spent on teaching children of illegal aliens, who even in Spanish are far behind in the basics. You may have a 3rd grade class but the children of illegal aliens are usually on Kindergarten level. So instruction is dumbed down.

There is a huge demand now for private education in CA since the public schools are a mess.

We have workers- just not ones that will work for the wages that those here illegally will accept. Used to be that you could find a decent job as a carpenter or working for an electrician. My brother earned money in the summer mowing lawns in the neighborhood. Not anymore. "Landscaping" companies hire day laborers, houses are built using illegal immegrants and the list goes on- because the employers can pay them less aand make a bigger profit. And meanwhile, identity theft is growing as those here illegally steal SS numbers and identities- including those of children- so that they can slip through the check that employers are required to run A number of new laws have been enacted in Arizona in the past couple of years, much to the dismay of the open border crowd, because people are tired of the inaction of the federal government. Things like shwoing ID to vote (upheld in federal court), no instate tuition for non-citizens, no bail for those here illegally accused of a serious crime etc. States will take matters into their own hands if the federal gov't refuses to deal with it- you can see it happening all across the nation.

Don't forget that most of you have European ancestors. They came here and built a wonderful nation. Most people that come here illegally don't want to be in the country illegally, but they don't have a better option. They also want to contribute to this great nation and our lawmakers can make the difference by providing a solution to this issue. It seems to me that many comments posted here make reference to the Hispanic community as a "plague". Well like it or not they are also human beings that want to have the same benefits you and I have here. It's not their fault for being born in a foreign land. WE are ALL children of God and in the heavens there is not a racial barrier.

How do I become an illegal alien?....they have better benefits than the citizenry!

I would like to address some of the previous comments:

One mentioned a $5 piece of lettuce. Please! Try being honest for a change.

The cost of labor in getting our produce to market is about 7 percent of the total cost. If a head of lettuce costs a whole dollar (it doesn't!), doubling the wages from the present minumun wage, would add a grand total of seven cents to the cost of that whole head of lettuce! Seven cents!

Maybe even Americans could afford to take these jobs with this adjusted wage!

The real issue is that employers want to continue to 1) ignore the law, 2) treat these criminal illegal aliens as slaves, 3) profit from knowing that they can get out of paying the appropriate taxes that they would have to pay an American citizen.

My message: START HOLDING EMPLOYERS ACCOUNTABLE!

It's interesting the D Snooze is reporting Utah's citizens are opposed to law violation, since they've long been an advocate and proponent of illegals. They recently ran a sob story about ex-illegals now living in Mexico.

Politicians (not statesmen) are not going to get tough on anyone who could vote for them--and illegals pose a potential large voting block for someone. That's why nothing has been done to enforce existing law, no physical or technological fence has been constructed, nor to resolve the state of those who are here illegally.

The stories printed here and there about 20 or 30 illegals rounded up and shipped back are intended to soften us, to make us think the government is finally cracking down on this problem. These are, however, nothing more than public relations stunts intended to get us to back off.

Government leaders, politicians, and the media know the gullibility of the (unwise) masses. I'm glad the masses haven't been won over on this issue.

Every elected federal and state official who refuse to support and enforce current law concerning illegal aliens need to be impeached from office and deported to a third world country