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Senator fine-tuning immigration measure

Any version of this bill that would be supported by the Chamber of Commerce would be totally useless. This is the wrong approach. I don't see Senators going up to the prison to get their approval on a bill that adjusts punishments for various offenses? Why should the people who are blatantly breaking the immigration law for profit have any say in how Utah enforces those laws?

It's too bad that Sen. Hickman feels it necessary to modify his common sense bill before it will pass. It's also troubling to think that Gov. Huntsman would threaten a veto of this bill. I hope that the amendments to this bill will not gut it of its effectiveness. With our useless federal government, the legislature can make some positive steps to mitigate the problems we have with illegal immigrants.

These measures have been blocked for 5 years. 5 long years the peoples voice has been ignored. Now the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce wants a Task Force who's only purpose is to delay it another year. It's a stalling tactic, and it comes at the wrong time as other states are passing much tougher laws.

Does anyone have a list of names that supports the task force? I think the workers of Utah should have a right to know who they are, since it's the workers that will suffer the most.

Message received. Measure twice, cut the meat out of the bill. The 1,000 pound gorilla wins.

So was this just grandstanding by Hickman? I guess we'll find out how watered down it will be tomorrow.

I can make a "nice piece of legislation" right here and now.

DEPORT THE ILLEGALS AND TELL THEM TO COME BACK THE RIGHT WAY.

Now who can't call that nice?

Task force from the chamber of commerce?? Gov. huntsman ready to veto the will of the people?? I guess we have waited too long to hold politicians and special interest groups accountable for their actions. WE WANT SR81 passed and not vetoed this year. Illegal alien lawbreakers must learn that in Utah we hold ourselves accountable to the law.

My suggestion. The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce represents only a portion of the businesses in Salt Lake City. Go to their website at saltlakechamber.org and look at the 400 businesses that belong to it. If you find companies that you do business with, then stop. And better yet, call them and tell them why you no longer do business with them. Tell them that as a worker in the state of Utah, you strongly disagree with their use of a non-profit organization that protects a few businesses that support people who break the law. Then shop at companies that do not belong to the Chamber.


You can do a google search for your legislators email. Do it, I did. And my Senator was nice enough to email me back. Come election time vote your pocketbook. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and Utah is no exception. It's time to get legislatures that not only protect the business interests, but also the workers (and voters) of Utah.

Illegal immigration is a problem. The legislature needs to act and crack down on everyone involved in encouraging illegal immigration, especially businesses. I can understand Elder Ballard's opposition to repealing in-state tuition for the children of illegals. However, I cannot understand how any religious person (Protestant, Catholic, LDS, etc.) can say illegal immigration is ok. Illegal immigration involves lying, dishonesty, and the use of fraudulent documents. Today's DesNews has an article about a military man who lied about his service in order to impress people and get promotions. He was punished. And, he should have been punished. So should those who lie about their right to work here. So should businessmen who assist them in this dishonesty.

Why would any "law abiding" business be concerned about this bill? It ONLY deals with those despicible, greedy employers who are willing to hire illegal aliens - and treat them as slave labor.

Seems that this fix is LONG overdue!

Both major newspapers in Salt Lake City are members of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Why don't Senators Hickman and Valentine just let church and business leaders write the bill. While I respect their early effort and initiative, it seems they've totally caved to special interests. It is absolutely unforgivable to remove the provision that would punish businesses for hiring illegal immigrants. It seems this bill has become less than worthless.

The idea that the Chamber is interested in helping businesses hire illegals is absurd. The Chamber understands that the price of hamburgers will double when slaughter houses can't find anybody to work, even when they are paying much more than minimum wage. This goes for every manufacturer, construction company, the agriculture industry and virtually every sector of our economy. To accuse these businesses of hiring illegals and paying them under the table is very unsophisticated and ignores facts and reality. However inaccurate these accusations may be, it seems that many, if not most hear them and fall for them. They are untrue. If you know of any companies knowingly hiring illegals, do us all a favor and report them. It is red meat for the masses, but nobody can name the companies who are allegedly breaking the law in this regard.

Furthermore, it is unanimous amongst our community's religions that repealing the law that grants undocumented children the ability to obtain higher education at in-state rates is the wrong action. Legislators would be well served to hear the moral conscience of the community.

I think the identification clause was just horrible. The provision making the feeding, sheltering and transporting of persons was plain mean spirited.

But the provisions against the employers are the single most important part of any legislation. More important than deputizing police officers, or in-state tuition.

By gutting what I see is the most critical part of the bill, penalizing employers, it shows that the legislature isn't really concerned about solving immigration, but tacitly supporting illegal immigrants employment and at the same time treating them like crap. It is a double standard. You can't have it both ways. If you support employers, then treat immigrants like humans.

Concerned with Myths: You contradict yourself. Why would the price go up if we export the illegals back to their countries and keep the legal immigrants? Are you saying it's just the illegals that work in these fields? Notice the majority of the people working at the two businesses were legal citizens. Any organization that supports illegal actions by people who are here through breaking the law deserves the real workers wrath.

The Chamber needs to re-think their actions in supporting the illegal entry of people into this country. They would not like it if the legal residents shoplift in their stores, yet they condone the illegal entry of people who come here and steal from the honest workers. It's a double edge sword.

Another subsidy as the business, construction, and farm folks steal from the rest of us out of the public trough by hiring illegal aliens. We have to pay the taxes to support the illegal's education, their health care, and the cost of crime and prisons while they pass these costs off to us. Enough is enough. Why don't we just stop paying taxes. That's illegal too.

I agree with Concerned about Myths. The everyday Joe's who hate business (Midicare Kid) are very emotionally appealing to the rest of the everyday Joe's (populism), however it is akin to biting the hand that feeds you. This isn't about "special interests," rather it is about a workfoce shortage. There are no citizens who will take these jobs.

Anonymous,

Your logic is poor. How does Concerned with Myths contradict himself. He's asserting that employer enforcement of federal law will cost a lot of money to the economy, especially considering the workforce issue. That is when you populist folks are going to feel the crunch... when you have to pay a lot more for items and services that have previously been affordable.

I hear a lot of generalizations, but nobody is pointing out employers (Bad Guys for you populist folks) who are breaking the law. Also, can you show us which Utahns want jobs in the slaughter house, but can't get hired? Bring those folks forward.

Populism is funny stuff: You are forgetting the difference between illegal entry and lawful immigration. Legal immigration helps, unlawful entry is a crime and it costs society.

Concerned with Myths statement that "The idea that the Chamber is interested in helping businesses hire illegals is absurd."

It is a contradiction pisf, that's exactly what they are doing. No one has said that we don't need controlled immigration and that these business are helped by it. We are saying that illegal entry is wrong, and when the Chamber endorses it by denying support for inforcement, it puts them on the side of the lawbreakers. For the past several years the pro-illegal group has clouded the issue by claiming people that are against illegal entry are against immigration. The opposite is true. We know the law and the right way to do things, does Utah's business community?

PIFS: Wanting people to squeel on business in a public forum is not the way to do things. For the business sake and also for the person. There are legal implications at work here. As for the "slaughter houses" I guess you forgot that the two companies raided had a majority of legal workers.

That fact has been brought forward in these forums several times.

As a Utah resident living in Germany I can tell you that immigration laws in the rest of the world are much more strict than in the United States. Here you have to take classes in the language, history and constitution.

Illegally going into a country is a major crime and if you work in that country the jail time can be over 10 years. Once released you are expelled and denied a passport for much of Europe

I will be returning home in a few months and I hope by then our business, Government and my Church will be setting an example by condemning illegal actions in all aspects of our life equally.