Reader comments
Tough migrant measure on track

*** "Rohit Sharma...said it violates constitutional rights to due process and equal protection and that it attempts to override federal authority when it comes to immigration." ***

It violates whose "equal protection" rights? Equal protection does not free one from the obligation of obeying the law. And how does this law override federal authority? The Oklahoma law doesn't decide who gets to be a legal immigrant and who does not. It's simply enforcing laws against people the federal govt aready says are illegal.


*** "Immigration is set by the federal government and enforced by the federal government," he said. "The main argument we have is the state of Oklahoma is trying to enforce immigration laws." ***

There all all sorts of state laws that duplicate federal laws. Hate crimes laws, laws against racial discrimination, laws against narcotics. I don't see Sharma and his ilk opposing state hate crimes laws.

Sharma & Co want open borders. That's all there is to it. They don't want the feds enforcing immigration laws, either. That's why they've sued the federal government to stop federal enforcement of the laws.

The Oklahoma laws does not interfer with anyones rights that are legally in the US and it does not interfer with the federal laws of immigration. The illegals have not gone through any immigration process so they do not meet the standards of an immigrant. They are illegal aliens and illegal foreign nationals with no rights, liberties, or freedoms under the constitution of the United States. All illegals are subject to deportation with no legal status what so ever. The State laws only reinforces the existing federal laws that state it is illegal to employ illegal aliens that are in the country illegally. The state law does not impose any conflicts the federal deporting of illegal aliens, it only makes the businesses obey the laws that do exist and penalizes those that fail to obey it. In effect this law makes it unpleasent for the illegals to illegally cross our borders and they can't be employed or hired using illegal documents and stolen identities. If the truth were known the corporate businesses have hired these lawyers to keep their illegal workforce. Illegals, the plague on America, has to be injected with an antiillegal drug (law) to save it's people.

It's the "harbor or transport them" part that has me worried...
I'm sure it's meant to hurt legal immigrants who are helping out their illegal friends/family, but...
Who else harbors illegal immigrants? Any apartment owner, anyone who rents houses out. Would schools be included here? Preschools? Churches?
And who transports them? Taxi drivers? Bus drivers? TRAX? People who pick up hitchhikers?
So to avoided getting busted, do we now have to ask everyone we come in contact with, anyone we help in any manner, "can I see your papers?"

Let's hear it for Oklahoma! Now, Utah needs to follow the excellent example set by our fellow U.S. citizens in Oklahoma and pass an even tougher state law to force illegal aliens (and all other lawbreakers ) out of the state.

All the talk about the "law" and constutution is a waste of time. It all comes down to whatever some judge feels like at the time.

According to Michael Chertoff, Director of Homeland Security, whenever we try to enforce immigration law, three groups try to block the efforts - Labor, business, and advocacy groups. Predictably, they are at it again.

Yes, we might get sued, but someday the tide will turn and the politicians will buckle under. The alternative is to give the country away to third world illegal aliens. Take your pick.

Harboring and transporting illegals is not talking about churches and taxi drivers. It is talking about people who knowingly try to get them here illegally and them protect them from being detected by the law. That is like saying the tax laws will allow the IRS to come after you if you don't pay taxes to the kid selling lemonade on the street corner for 10 cents. It's not going to happen.

What is it you don't like about immigrant workers? Is it their skin color, the fact that they are predominantly Catholic, or what? I sincerely cannot imagine this level of hatred being directed at people who speed on the freeway(who occasionally kill people after all) or people who cheat on their taxes(who end up bringing up everyone else's rates). There are lots of lawbreaking villains running around so be fair and hate them all equally-- or be a Christian and love them all equally. If you can't do either of those things at least be a pragmatist and admit that deporting 5-10% of the workforce would kill our economy. When did "conservatives" start hating the free market?

Unfortunately, he probably wrecked a lot of chances by saying undocumented workers "don't have constitutional rights." What is actually the case -and maybe this is what he means - is, by being undocumented workers, they have broken the law. Period. And there's no protection in the Constitution that says people can't be punished for breaking the law.

I am amazed at the hate toward undocumented workers. Between Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingram and Michael Savage, they are obsessed with hatred for illegals. I hope are great state can stop listening to all the talk show boys whom control the republican party and start woking on giving undocumented people a way to redeem themselves. Remember, many are married to us citizens, many have children that are U.S. citizens. What kind of country are we if we are willing to break up hundred of thousands of lives and deport 12 million people. I say get rid of the illegal criminals, deport the rightwing talk show hosts and give the undocumented people a chance. I would hate to see Utah's economy after 100,000 poeple get deported. Republicans! you will hand over the election to the democrats on a silver plate over immigration! The more you hate! The more you will give up the votes as well as my vote. 70% of the american people do not want deportation, they want the boarders closed, the bad guys deported and will be fine with the illigals staying and work toward a path to citizenship.

It is unfortunate that William does not care about laws that protect this great country of ours. Most people in that state (according to as recent KSL report) want immigration enforced. By the way, tax rate hikes are not effected by people cheating on their taxes.

Immigration is a very complicated problem with many different twists and turns. You haven't studied the whole problem and how we will all be effected by making such harsh laws. It will effect our whole country and more ways than you can even imagine. People need to open their eyes and realize that there is no way easy way to solve the immigration problem. Laws like this one are going to cause major problems for all of us. If you think there is a way to become legal now, you are wrong. The only way for a Mexican to become legal is to apply through a spouse or a family member. To apply through a family member can take 15 to 20 years of waiting. It is even complicated to apply through a spouse and very expensive. If there was a legal way for Mexicans to become legal, many of them would do it. Most of these people just want to have a chance at a better life. They work hard and are more motivated than we are. Be careful of what you ask for, you just might get it.

I wish to comment on the "why" Paul is looking for. We are tired of being taken advantage of. The law IS the law. Illegal IS illegal. Yes, business is disrupted a little in Oklahoma at the moment. Some construction in town is off schedule because some "workers" had to leave. They will likely go to Utah or some other state. The workforce will adjust and we will get back on track, being a better (fiscally) and more secure state for it. Kudos to our leaders in Oklahoma. At least we're DOING something about it. Washington seems to have it's hands tied, for whatever reason. I recently read the constitution and they are bound by the constitution to secure our borders. Let's get with it.

How about employers having another choice besides keeping a problematic worker or firing everyone...don't hire undocumented workers!!

And I get soooo tired of the rationale that we need to keep these workers because the economy will buckle under the deportation of these workers. How about those on welfare or unemployment taking these jobs?!?

Most of the undocumented workers where I live get paid under the table and send the bulk of their money back to Mexico...so not only are they taxing the system, but they're not paying taxes and they aren't helping the local economy by spending their money here.

William...for me it has nothing to do with the color of their skin or their religious beliefs...it has to do with following the law.

AC..."Most of these people just want to have a chance at a better life." Well, so do I, but I'm not going about it by breaking laws.

It isn't a matter of hating "undocumented workers" which is a sugar coated way of saying illegal immigrants. We have to protect our borders. I promise the situation isn't as grave as you make it sound. Our economy would be just fine without millions of illegals. If we want hard workers there are millions of people in Africa that dream of coming here. If we need someone to do the jobs illegals are doing, I have personally met hundreds of Africans that would do anything to live here. The law is the law. We cannot continue to ignore them. If you don't like it try to change the law. But as it is there is nothing wrong with deporting a criminal. Because frankly they are all criminals. Just coming into the country but not the legal way is illegal. Criminals don't have rights. Once you break the law you forfit a lot of rights.

It is about time. Since the Federal Government won't due the job they are suppose to, the States need to step up and do it for them. I am all for this bill.

Paul, illegal = criminal. If immigrants are here legally, they stay here. If they are illegal, they get deported. Want to be compassionate - help immegrants use the legal way to be in our country. My ancestors used the legal way, why should those from non-european countries think they can sneak in a deserve special treatment?

I am grateful for the immigrants, legal and illegal, who have come and will continue to come to my country. I welcome the world and hope you find America to be the wonderful place my grandparents found when they immigrated illegally from Europe. Immigration is not the problem. Racism is the problem. If these people were from Canada, no one would care. Get off your high horse and give an immigrant a hug and invite them over for dinner. You may discover they are just like you.
And for all of you people who say it is about the law, give me a break. You didn't drink before coming of age? You never speed? You have never cheated on your taxes? Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

I don't see any logic in arguing for or against this sponsored by the esteemed representative from Washington County. The law says undocumented workers are in this country illegally. The law could also be ammended However, there are those who would argue that this would be considered amnesty and they are categorically opposed to it. Senator Hatch says he is opposed to it.What is unfortunate is that "protecting our borders" has been turned into a rallying cry for those who hate foreigners regardless of migratory status. There is no proof that either, Canadians or Hispanics have ever done anything to endanger our borders. All they've done is to cross our borders seeking a better life for themselves without being a threat to the US. The people who started the ball rolling and attacked the US were legally admitted aliens. Shall we then close our borders to everyone? Many children of illegal aliens have served honorably in the armed forces of the US? I am including in this count, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans who at the time when they were asked to serve were not legally US citizens but had to earn that right of citizenship by serving with honor.

How does it becomes "hatred" because we ask the illegals return to their homes and go through the proper channels. I am a legal immigrant and I had to go through the process, one of which was being fingerprinted, proving I could readl, write speak Englis also they checked my background to make sure I wasn't a criminal. There are reason for the lawful processes in place. Allow people to sneak in, steal identities etc isn't the way. We all break minor laws but this is not minor and they are the new "slave" of America - give them legal status and then see if the employer can get away with slave wages and cheating the government on the taxes etc. Legal is legal for all not a few select based on race