Reader comments
Sweeping migrant bill rushed to hearing

This is not to be believed. A lawmaker cannot be serious when he says that his law wouldn't be interpreted so broadly in regards to transporting people? Yes...under his bill, bus drivers would ask any foreign looking person for their documents. Taxi drivers the same. Transporting people to church...that, too. There are other bills that have already been heard on committee and have gone on to the House that his bill duplicates. Could this lawmaker have ommitted what has already been proposed and try not to waste time/resources?

Interesting that some states believe they have to enact immigration legislation when it is obviously a federal issue. Eventually, fed. law will supercede the states. But the people can't wait. Can't really blame them. A good example of the people being ahead of their "leaders."

I want this passed now, in it's totality.

One of the defining moments in my life was the oath of alligence I took to defend this country from foriegn invaiders. I still take that promise seriously! Any American that does not support total immigration reform and deportation of foriegn invaiders has forgotten what every dead American serviceman died for. We must control our borders and deport illegal aliens.

Arizona's apartment owners are facing high vacancy rates right now because Arizona law now mandates that employers are punished for hiring undocumented workers. They are fined on the first violation and stripped of their business licenses on the second violation. Where are the workers going? Utah, no doubt. And they'll keep coming until Utah passes a law that is at least as tough as Arizona's.

This would totally solve the education funding issue. Imagine our schools with the same funding available now but with thousands of students no longer there. We might actually get the teachers a decent wage and less crowded classrooms.

If this type of law had been on the books years ago most of us wouldn't be here. JUST GIVE THESE PEOPLE an electronic card with an ID # when they cross the boarder at all check points that would register them in the system so they can work and pay taxes etc..You would think that a country as great as ours could figure out a way to do that,

Unfortunately, innocent people are always hurt when others do not obey the law. We are studying this issue to death. It's time to actually do something. I applaud this move as a way to start working on this issue. No matter how you cut it, illegal immigrants are not obeying the law of the land.

Too much money and time are spent in this country taking care of those who do not carry their own weight and not enough of those are given to the 90% or so that follow the laws of the land. In the past, immigrants needed a sponsor who was established, willing to help the immigrant find work, a place to live and teach him how to get along in our society. We need to stay with this policy. One can't help but feel empathy for families who will be broken through new legislation. However, there are consequences to all of our actions and oftentimes they affect those we love. Let's get this law on the books start working on the problem

Why punish the children of undocumented parents and condemn them to a life of poverty. Did these children convince their parents when they were infants to come to this country in pursuit of a better life? Can they be held accountable for their parents wrong doings?
I believe that is what both the Catholic and LDS church were touching on when they asked our lawmakers to show compassion.
I understand that a legal immigration reform is needed, but why punish the children by not letting them earn an education.

I am so disheartened when I hear people suggest we just give these guys an ID. I have been here legally for 11 years and for all of that time have been waiting to get a legal status for my handicapped son. Do you know how much it hurts those of us who try to do the right thing when you reward those who break the law?

Immigration policy is a Federal Issue. Unforunately the State of Utah has taken upon itself to override Federal law and give in-state tuition to illegal aliens, and give driving privilege cards to illegal aliens.

You cannot use the Federalism argument to justify not enforcing immigration laws against illegals if you support giving them benefits specifically barred by Federal law.

I'm being sarcastic. But so many folks here want to ignore reality and magically send everyone home. Problem is, these immigrants are here and truth be told - a lot of them are a lot more productive than "legal" Americans.

There needs to be a way to citizenship for those deserving it. The immigration bill last year was the best hope in a long time and it got struck down by "Christian" conservatives.

I wish the bill would require ALL employers to use the free federal E-Verify program, not just public employers. I feel that those employers who object to this simply do not want to know if potential employees are illegal and prefer the status quo.

Much is said about law-breaking illegal aliens, but I think we must not forget about our greedy and law-breaking employers and a government long derelict in its duty to enforce laws already on the books.

I hope we are able to pass an employer sanctions law with some real teeth in it.

I've wanted to keep my mouth shut about these immigrations bills, but feel I can't any longer. We have Greg Curtis wanting to house the illegal aliens in a jail until we can deport them...didn't we do something like that during World War II with the Japanese? Did we not learn from this mistake as to how many people we hurt then?
We seemed to have become a state where all we need to do is punish people who are different. Donaldson, have you not learn to love thy neighbor or are you just taking out your problems on punishing a group of people who do the work that you wouldn't do yourself.
I'm appauled at your attitude to these people! How would you like to be in their shoes and have someone like you making such hateful laws? Do you sleep well at nights?

U.S. Army comment had to have been made by a clown. Don't try to take something as special as the oath of allegiance and twist it into something it isn't. You know very well that the way you are twisting it has zero to do with the original context of the oath. Spare us all your attempt at tear jerking. Say what you want about immigration, it's illegal, but not they way you are trying to make it.

Why is it that legal aliens in the U.S. are threatened by American attemps to close our borders? We are tring to keep American safe and secure. I think they are tring to bring in as many illegals as they can. To the person who commented negativly to the U.S. soldier: SHAME ON YOU.

I think many people are overlooking the key points of all of this. Anyone here who doesn't think that Americans are HURT by illegal immigration is sadly mistaken. Look at the declining job market, not to mention the drastically reduced wages most are seeing now. If you honestly don't think that the illegals have something to do with this, then you are living in a fantasy world. Next, let's look at the rapid increase in healthcare costs and the housing bust occurring now: If the illegals were not allowed to get anything BUT emergency services, many ER's would not be bankrupting the hospitals they are attached to. Then how about our overcrowded schools? Imagine lessening the American population by some 33 million people plus or minus and yet keeping the same tax base. Removing so many workers would also serve as a stimulus to promote reasonable job wages to emerge again, allowing America to be competitive financially. Instead of 1000% profits and third-world living conditions, people might see 50-75% profit margins and pay their people enough to be able to live. This isn't happening, and the illegals are allowing ruthless employers to circumvent workers' rights and the law.

Earth to NC Immigration Protester: Please get your facts straight before putting finger to keyboard. Governor Huntsman tells me over and over again that Utah is the envy of the nation, with great wages and full employment. So where are the workers going to come from when you deport 15% of our population? And who will be paying that $25 an hour to teenage slackers and prisoners to build your houses and pick your fruit? It will be me and my small business, that's who. Or better said, it won't be me, as I will be out of business and on the government dole. Something else too: healthcare and educational costs are skyrocketing because of out-of-control lawsuits, and our socialist-styled insurance and educational system. And what on earth does our housing crisis have to do with illegal immigration? I suppose illegals are responsible for the hurricanes and global warming also. Say, why don't you deport yourself, NC Immigration Protester, and save us all a lot of time and money.

If the ILLEGALS want in, maybe it is time to do what was done in World War II. Back then, a person could go into the military, serve the country and become a US citizen afterwards. I know of several that this happened. to. Wonder how many of these ILLEGALS would be lined up at the recuiting office in the morning, if it was made legal tonight. Bet not very many.

NC Immigration Protester asks me to "imagine" a country without 33 million illegal aliens. Here is what I imagine: a full-employment country shutting down its construction, food service, agricultural and hospitality industries, causing an economic catastrophe like we haven't seen since the depression; I "imagine" seeing live TV video of screaming woman and children being hunted down and shackled, like the Jews in the 1930's, and shipped off to camps. I "imagine" a country being hated and economically isolated throughout the world like South Africa during apartheid; and worst of all I "imagine" the emergence of China as the only superpower on earth, while the country I was born in, the country I love, slides into historical odium and oblivion.