Reader comments
Readers' forum: SB81 hard-hearted

Anonymous | 6:47 a.m. July 4, 2009

After reading SB81, I've decided I will help and harbor as many illegal immigrants as I can if I ever meet any.

@carmen | 7:28 a.m. July 4, 2009

I don't suppose you have any bias, do you?
We must protect our nation.
You can choose your own personal response to illegals.
You don't need taxpayer money to support your cause.

Paul | 7:34 a.m. July 4, 2009

I do agree we should replace SB81. But, we should replace one with a law that applies to all employers, not just a few.

Wouldn't it be a lot cheaper for Carmen to help poor people in their own countries, rather than have them come here? And why is she only wanting to help a few poor, and not all of the poor in the World?

Comments continue below

Hypocrisy | 7:51 a.m. July 4, 2009

SB81 doesn't deny immigrants of immigrating. However, it does help enforce our laws that have been set up for years. How about immigrants immigrate to the United States legally? Crazy thought, I know...

CB | 9:04 a.m. July 4, 2009

If you knew anything about the Statue of Liberty, you would know that near it's base it greeted hundreds of thousands of people who came into this country legally, and turned away others,considered unfit to enter the USA. Those who choose to enter under a fence, over a wall or crossing water refuse to make the same effort made by those entering our country legally. They expect all of the same perks enjoyed by 'legals' but refuse to make the same sacrifices necessary to be legal. Entering this country illegally is big business and big bucks for those fostering this behavior, and we are the one's paying the bill.

Silva | 9:25 a.m. July 4, 2009

It was the Churches, pro-illegal Organizations and the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce that wanted this law. They fought like crazy to stop all business in Utah from having to use E-Verify. A system where an employer can tell if a person is legally able to work in this country.

The final version of this bill whether they admit it or not, was their doing. Without E-Verify it's what they left us with.

Utahns want their laws enforced. We want people to follow the law.

Like the majority of Americans we are getting fed up with people telling us we don't help the poor, we hate immigrants, we are racist etc. while we see our social services flooded, and our jobs taken. The public relations on this issue from the media shocks me. Do they really want a one world order with no borders and open immigration?

What Rubbish! | 9:56 a.m. July 4, 2009

The Statue of Liberty is a promise of liberty to all who come LEGALLY! When it was given to the US at our centennial, the immigration laws were actually enforced. Why is it right or fair for people to come over the borders ILLEGALLY when many are doing the right thing and standing in LINE to come LEGALLY!!

As Thomas Friedman and others have said, we should be a nation of high fences and wide gates.

Re: Paul | 10:14 a.m. July 4, 2009

Law-abiding Americans do welcome immigrants - providing these demonstrate allegiance to the U.S. and a modicum of respect for U.S law and sovereignty. If they are going to willfully violate immigration law, perjure forms and steal identities and also steal immigration spots from law-abiding prospective immigrants, then many of us do not welcome them, nor should we.

Illegal immigrants are a boon to the greedy businessmen who want cheap labor, but they are not a boon to society as a whole. Look what has happened to California.

Paul is right: Unencumbered immigration ultimately is not good for the world's poor. A very interesting video on youtube called "Immigration Gumballs" explains this well. Check it out.

Phantom Panther | 10:21 a.m. July 4, 2009

The last I checked, the U.S. was 11 trillion dollars in debt. No, I don't think we can take all the world's poor, put them on welfare, and ask them to tell us what we can and can't do. That's essentially what many liberals want to do.

Entering by the door | 10:31 a.m. July 4, 2009

He that does not enter by the door, but over the wall or some other way, is a thief and a robber.

I'm descended from immirgrants. | 11:49 a.m. July 4, 2009

My grandmother is from Australia, and two great-grandfathers and two great-grandmothers are from Germany. They entered the country legally, through legal immigration ports and declaring who they were, where they were from and the fact that they intended to stay and become citizens of the Untied States. My German great-grandparents learned and spoke English, to the point that my grandfather . . . their son . . . never learned German.

My ancestors "did it right". Other immigrants now -- the ones who "do it right" deserve our support. The illegal immigrants (the ones who sneak across the border without obtaining permission to immigrate) do not, and deserve only to be sent back from where they came.

Sam the Ham | 11:54 a.m. July 4, 2009

We're sick and tired of taking in the world's "tired and poor." And the government is now in serious debt, in part, because of it. Let them go someplace else to mooch.

Romanticism | 1:02 p.m. July 4, 2009

Emma Lazarus’ words, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." have been way over-romanticized by extremists. Lazarus herself was a romantic and wrote from personal bias. A Sephardic Jew and a descendant of Jews who were expelled from Spain centuries ago, she often wrote of the “Jewish plight” in her poetry. I too love the words of “The Colossus,” but some of us realize that we live in a world much different from the 1880s, when it was written.

Remember, Americans still warmly welcome legal immigrants, approximately 2 million a year; we have the most generous immigration policy in the world. Additionally, warm-hearted Americans contribute billions of dollars to take care of the “tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free” around the world. They simply cannot all come here.

I personally want every human being to have what they need to be safe and happy. However, illegal immigration is not the answer — it causes more problems than ever. Each nation, including our own, must focus on policies that will enable us ordinary, hard-working and law-abdiding people the world over to become prosperous and be safe, healthy and happy.

Illegal Alien Opponent | 8:59 p.m. July 4, 2009

We can't absorb all of the "tired and poor." There are about 5 BILLION of them that are poorer than the poor illegal aliens sneaking into the country.

The attitude of this writer makes me wish we could tear down the Statue of Liberty and throw it into the New York Harbor. It doesn't help any of the countries that they came from, it only makes things worse, because no one is willing to stand up and oppose their corrupt governments. We are Mexico's safety valve.

How many "immigrants" would this writer have the United States absorb? Ten million, 20 million 30, million 50 million a year? Where would it end? How about doubling the population from 304 million to 608 million in just a year or two? This seems to be what this writer advocates. These people need to think constructively rather than just emotion and feelings.

Sorry Carmen but get your | 10:28 p.m. July 4, 2009

facts straight. Utah takes in people from all over the world legally, mostly from war torn countries. Most I have had the opportunity to help are truly grateful, have learned english and try hard to share their culture and to mesh it with their new country. I'm more than willing to help these individuals & families out. The Statue of Liberty is just fine. I'm all for SB81, just sorry it won't be enforced by all local law enforcement, an oxymoron. I have ICE on speed dial on my cell to help ICE out when needed.

You Voted For Obama, Didn't You? | 11:36 p.m. July 4, 2009

Dear Carmen -

Your willingness to help the poor and disadvantaged now matter how they come to America is, in the short term, noble, but in the long term, disastrous.

I've seen the youtube gumball immigration video.

My guess is you haven't.

Come to America legally or DON'T come here at all!

That isn't "mean", it's called "respecting the law" while using common sense.

Liberals' Double Standards | 11:43 p.m. July 4, 2009

It absolutely boggles my mind how many liberal commentors say that we should stop hunting illegal aliens ENTIRELY but yet if you ask them is it morally right for them to enter another country without that country's permission, they say "no".

WHY IN THE FRICK DO YOU INSIST ON HONORING O-T-H-E-R COUNTRIES LAWS BUT NOT OUR OWN?!?!?!?!?!?

Maybe you've never been in another country but I have. 4 of them, Italy, Germany, Greece and South Korea, didn't speak English as their national language and people looked at you like you were an absolute moron if you expected them to converse with you in English while you were in THEIR country!

If you want to visit America, come legally.

If you want to earn a living in America, come LEGALLY, LEARN TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE or STAY HOME!

the truth | 4:13 p.m. July 5, 2009

The words on the stayue of Liberty are pretty words,

a nice thought and inspiring poem,

but they are NOT the law of
the land.

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