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No DREAM Act in Senate

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Utahn Against Illegals | 6:04 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Hatch and Bennett both voted for the dream act. It is obvious they are out of touch with the citizens of the state of Utah. They both need to resign their elected office and retire.
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Mike W. | 7:09 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
It's a travesty that "conservatives", many of whom proclaim to be Christian are so focused on the "letter of the law" that they cannot see the need for compassion and concern on this immigration issue. What better population to assist than those provide for in the DREAM act. Credit to Sen. Hatch and Bennett for voting for it, but these other hypocritical conservatives who care only for their own and promote the "rule of law." What laws are they breaking daily? What is the beam in their eyes while they try to pull the mote out of the eye of these children of illegal immigrants?
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Thomas Jefferson | 8:51 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
The Dream Act is an outright assault on the Culture, Language, and borders of our country. It is Amnesty straight and forward. Hatch and Bennett should be fired and replaced! They do not represent the citizenry of Utah! Enough is enough.

The illegals are illegal and need to be sent back. Fact is, while they may be a cheap bargain for business, they import drugs, disease, and crime.

Bennett and Hatch need to be reminded that in accordance to the Constitution that they represent WE THE PEOPLE, not corporations, and that they are obligated to fulfill their oath to the Constitution, which they are not. How can we expect borders when our 2 supposedly "conservative" senators are doing everything they can to undermine the will of the people. This is an outrage!
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JWK | 9:02 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
The problem with the Dream Act is not allowing students to become citizens because they came here with their parents but that once they become citizens then they can help those same parents to jump to the head of the line for citizenship.

If they were to allow these students what the bill allows them, but not give them the opportunity to bring their families legalization then the bill would probably pass.

Mike W needs to understand that while everyone breaks laws, including him, when they are caught they will have to pay for their mistake. That is not happening with illegal immigrants. To the contrary, people are trying to reward them for breaking the law.

Perhaps we should give a bank robber the money he took along with a pat on the back for thinking outside the box. Or grant child molesters a pass for their behavior.

When you pick and choose the laws you want to enforce then there is no law. As it is, there are many criminals in this country that are not deported because their countries don't want them back. We get stuck with them.
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RH | 9:12 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Since when is a 21 or 24 year old a child? I believe they are young adults. The individuals who are hear illegally, should not get a silver platter handout from our government. There are thousands of people who waited in line to get their credentials to be in the U.S. and it was done legally.
Enough of amnesty ideas, enter the country the proper way and they can attend any college they want and pay taxes like the rest of us. My grandfather had to wait in line, so can they.
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Matt S | 9:21 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Tell me why the child of an ILLEGAL immigrant should receive preferential treatment over my child. I and others like me are the ones who pay the taxes. The parents of illegal immigrants do not bear the burden of taxes as many work under the table for cash. There is a billion dollar underground economy that is not being taxed and paying its fair share of taxes. Those who do pay taxes are doing so illegally using stolen or forged documents to the detriment of some other person. So these people do not deserve anything more than they are already getting and deserve much less.

You see their is a difference between someone asking for help and someone who takes what they want. Christians are taught that if a man asks you for your cloak then give him two. Not if a man breaks into your house and steals your cloak give him two.

I guess Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett should be called the do nothing for Utah Senators as they seem to not care what their constituents want.
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5366339 | 9:51 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
This Is no DREAM act???alot of people would say it is i dont understand why this insnt a co;untry where you have tobe a DREAM to live in
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Ing | 9:54 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
I agree that we need to have better control over who enters our country and why, but if Hatch and Bennett are out of touch with the citizens of Utah on this issue, that's a *good* thing.

We need to provide a way for people who really do want to become citizens--and in most of the ways that really count, are already citizens--to do so. If they'll agree to abide by the law, we should let them. Especially in this case.

The sad thing about the immigration issue is that it continually gets hijacked by the most extreme elements--like Tom Tancredo trying to get three young people arrested at a press conference, as if they were terrorist infiltrators. Good grief.

We'll never get anywhere until people are willing to think rationally and work together for a fair compromise.
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Penelope | 9:56 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
I called both senators' offices and asked that they vote against the so-called "Dream" act. They don't listen to us, their constituents, by the way. It's not lack of compassion that causes who you call "hypocritical conservatives" to be against bills such as this. And, in my case, it isn't just the rule-of-law, it's looking ahead to see where this kind of legislation is going to take us and the effect it will have on Utah citizens, and all Americans, ultimately. Our system just can't handle funding freebie benefits for everyone who comes to this country illegally. We can't even afford to do it for our own. Open your eyes, people. Take a serious look at what this situation is doing to our country -- the cost, the steep drift toward socialism -- giving someone something for nothing at the expense of those who are willing to follow the rules. I have nothing against the illegal immigrants personally, I just feel we can't afford them. I'm irritated with both Bennett and Hatch and get tired of their "canned" responses to my letters that basically say they know better than everyone else and will do just what they want.
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IM | 10:25 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Thank you Mike for the insight, this is such a crazy issue that I think if people really sit and give some thought to it - I'm confident that they'll reach a reasonable conclusion.
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Jeff F | 10:39 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Mike W.
The law they are breaking daily is living in the country illegally. I am not against immigration, but why would we want to give people breaking the law special treatment when it comes to legalization over those who are doing it the right way.
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Fred | 10:48 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Utahn against illegals - Who made you my spokesperson? Hatch and Bennett did just what I would have wanted them to do. T. Jefferson - They bring disease, drugs and crime? Really? Some do, certainly, but what about all the legal white trash bringing bigotry and corruption to this country? Come to think of it, the same could be said about the illegals who landed at Plymouth Rock.
My wife works in a school with a high percentage of minorities. Some of them are problems, but most are good, intelligent kids. The worst problems by far are the white kids.
The DREAM act is not about giving bank robbers, child abusers and rapists a free ride. It is about kids, people, a break for being decent human beings and helping the United States of America by being educated and serving all of us in the military. As someone said recently, "If this were about 12 million Norwegians it would be a non-issue". Take off the illegal and brown colored glasses and see these people as human beings. Just for the record I am white and legal.
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John A. Reynolds | 10:54 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
They will keep trying to bring this up and get it through. They will also probably try to get portions of it through as time goes by. We must all be vigilant and let them know each time it comes up, that the people do NOT want this ugly bill or any part of it. It rewards illegals and sends the wrong message to those coming here illegally. If we don't get this under control soon, our nation will not be recognizeable in less than 20 years....
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Steve in California | 10:57 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
First SCHIP now the Dream Act. Those are votes that would be expected from our liberal Senators here in California. You people in Utah need some new senators as bad as we do.
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Cayce Weber | 10:57 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Matt S.

1. Obviously you have not studied the realities of the amounts of tax money illegals bring to the US. In Texas, the deportation of all illegals would suck out 5 BILLION dollars in taxes they DO pay. It is estimated that only 2-3 Billion is spent on them in Texas. That is a net loss of 2 Billion. Duh.

2. Illegals come because the US Senate and Congress has refused for twenty years, to adjust immigration laws and policy to meet the needs of our Nation, and the needs of these people.

3. Applicants are taken for all the money they can come up with, and then denied the opportunity to immigrate. Over and over the US takes their money and says NO.

REALITY: There is NO opportunity to COME LEGALLY!!!!!

I'm appalled at the lack of humanity, the lack of compassion and lack of understanding of all you people who write in...and NO, you don't use your name because you are cowards.

Put your name up behind your opinion. Your facts are wrong, you have LITTLE grasp of the reality of the issues, and half your statements are false.

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Mike W. | 10:57 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
JWK,

When illegal immigrants are caught, they do pay for their "crimes." The immigration laws are essentially unenforcible. Otherwise there would not be 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. The only solution to the problem is to make legal immigration a more stream-lined process, otherwise, as long as the market needs more labor, more immigrants will come.

Matt S,

Most illegal immigrants pay income taxes, all pay sales and property taxes (which fund your children's education and their's). You can continue to use falsities to justify your feelings, but the truth is much more powerful.

As for the rest of the isolationist, prejudicial commentors, I look forward to the day when again a majority of people in this county are Christians and care more about their families and family values than they do about preserving false conservative values. This will likely only happen with the influx of Latin Americans, as they espouse these values.

TJ (I can't bring myself to use the name of the great founder in conjunction with your comments), most (>90%) of the "illegals" bring no such drugs, disease, or crime. Your bigotry is unfathomable.
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Mike W. | 11:00 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Until we start seeing all others as human beings and continue to classify them as "them" we can never understand or solve the problems. As long as we continue to assign our brothers and sisters pejorative names and say the words with the disdain present in the comments, we will never comprehend, and therefore never solve these deeply rooted problems.
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Fred V | 11:00 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
First let me say I am against the DREAM Act.

Secondly, Hatch and Bennett didn't vote for the DREAM Act. They voted to let the debate go forward. There is a difference. Whether or not they will vote for the Act has yet to be seen.
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Wake Up! | 11:00 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
This was not a dream...it was a NIGHTMARE! How do you prove someone was under the age of 16 when they entered the country? You can�t, because they came here ILLEGALLY. Hello? The only people that check in at the boarder are LEGAL immigrants. But ironically they wouldn�t qualify for the program!

It begs the question: Why even bother to come here legally? Just sneak in, and wait for Durbin and Reid to pass an amnesty bill. Enjoy the benefits of America while your na�ve law-abiding countrymen wait at home. The saps back home do immigration paperwork and wait. Meanwhile, you get a job! Your kids enjoy free education compliments of the American taxpayer. Get free health care at the ER or public clinic. Come on in. Don�t stand in line, just jump the fence like everyone else...Oh wait, there is no fence.
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Cayce Weber | 11:02 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007
Love Thy Neighbor. Not when it is convenient, not when there is no sacrifice. Just "LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF" Seems to me, this is what are Senators are trying to do.

Again, Matt S., Christians are taught to give the cloak...okay Matt, when are you going to give the cloak????

How about when the people ask to come here in the first place. They are told no when they try to immigrate legally. Then when they do come, they are told no anyway. At what point do you suggest we give the cloak Matt??????

If you know anything about immigration, from the time they even ask to immigrate at our US Embassy, they are taken for their money, and then told NO anyway.

Our Congress has refused to increase immigration to meet the needs of our nation for twenty years...now they face the repercussions of their own inaction.

Again, I'm appalled at all the mighty Utahns in their huge homes on the hill, looking down on their needy brothers and shutting ALL doors which may help!

Shame on you people. The Lord is bringing these people here. This is evident from 2 Nephi, who promised this land to righteous!
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No. Utah sees a major earthquake every 350 years. Last one? 350 years ago.