The critics will all scream "racist!" but there is nothing wrong about demanding that everyone obey the laws, including immigration laws.
If some people are allowed to violate immigration laws, please tell me which laws I can violate. Can I quit paying taxes? Ignore traffic laws? Become a polygimist? Steal my neighbor's car? Either everyone obeys all the laws, or there is no point having any of them.
Thank you, Senator Hickman for daring to do the right thing and help end this rampant crime wave of illegal immigration.

This will make for a very intersting expirement in economics. While we all agree that our laws need to be enforced, if this law passes and Utah gets the same result as other cities and states, we will also see a dip in our economy.

It would be great if the Senator would also create a working migrant worker visa to put into his bill. There are actually several things that could help this along but I worry a real ham-handed approach will have dramatic affect on both sides: dramatically drop the number and scope of illegal immigration, and with no visa solution dramatically hit our already very wobbly economy.

Who knows.

Good bill. I hope it passes. But I'm not so certain our liberal governor will sign it.

You can almost smell the lawsuits. And as another commenter has rightly said, you can also forsee the economic downturn. So, more state tax dollars to defend against lawsuits and to provide social services when the economy begins to tank. Sounds like a great bargain, all to support a fringe political agenda to attack illegal immigrants in the absence of a functioning or sufficient legal immigration system.

I agree with James and Watcher. The reality is that many, many Utah businesses, including small businesses rely on immigrant labor. This is one issue that Bush (and the normally inept Cannon)have been right on. We need a pragmatic working migrant bill. I hope our legislators are smart enough to realize that any immigrant bill they pass will do more harm than good. This needs to be addressed on the national level.

Immigration is a LOT like accidental pregnancy:

It is going to happen!!!!

Like procreation, seeking a better life for oneself and one's family is pretty much hard-wired.

Passing laws and building walls ain't gonna work any better than "just say no."

Please please please, someone in government begin addressing the issue as it actually exists.

Don't continue the idiotic game of casting it in black & white terms such as good v. bad, us v. them, humans v. "illegals."

Is that asking too much?????

It's a sad state of affairs that each state must now do this for themselves, but it MUST be done !
Our nation is a nation of laws that must be obeyed.
If we continue to allow illegals to get through the cracks, our society will be completely changed in the next generation. It will be the ruin of American society as we know it.
Thanks you Rep Hickman !!

This issue has been talked about for many months. One thing that is paramount is the fact that this people did not go through legal channels to enter this country. It is not about one country but any country where people come in without due process and expect this great country to provide benefits that are for citizens of the USA.

If the lawmakers in Washington will not do their jobs, then our state leaders must have laws that force the issue is legal entry into this country.

I totally support our state creating laws such as were enacted Oklahoma.

The illegal immigration problem is not really the fault of the congress. It has been caused by the administration's intentional non-enforcement policy. Since this is the case, state and local governments have no choice but to do their own thing. Those that oppose laws like the one in Oklahoma start with the premise that everyone that is able to sneak into the United States has a right to be here. As for the economics, the major result is depressed wages among the working poor, including the legal immigrants. Wages, like any commodity are determined by supply and demand. Illegal immigration is just short of indentured servitude, with the purpose of maintaining a supply of cheap labor.

In Singapore, if an employer is caught hiring an illegal entrant to the country they could be caned. Nobody wants to be caned. Fines , they can cough up as they are still winning with the low wages they pay and having no need to provide medical or other benefits. Singapore however have an adequate work permit system for all their labor requirements and sufficient controls to manage them. The japanese likewise handle it very well. Perhaps we could learn from these countries. They have an ID system that is foolproof. They say the US goverment cannot handle such huge numbers. I would suggest they talk to the credit card companies.

Exploitation is no less than slavery ( wasn't that fixed in the Constitution ?)

The idea that farmers, landscapers, and construction can’t economically survive without an ability to illegally hire “undocumented workers”at less than minimum wage, isn’t too persuasive to the tax-payers left paying for food-stamps, subsidized housing, medical, education and expanded demands on our criminal justice system. Cheap labor is VERY expensive.

Doug has it right. Anyone paid less than subsistence wage will have to be subsidized by either charity or the government. Even worse is that the cheap labor illegal alien employers are creating a much larger underclass within the United States. This underclass will have to be supported by the taxpayers. This cheap labor really isn't cheap, it is an employer subsidy paid for by the taxpayers.

But Doug doesn't have it right because, in fact, those types of employers are actually paying there employees a pretty good wage ($10-15/hr).

Trust me, I have a little experience in this area as an immigration attorney. I've seen what the "illegals" are making and I have yet to find an undocumented worker who was making less than minimum wage. In fact, most of them make decent money.

Moreover, there is a good chance that any such law passed by a state is unconstitutional since issues of border security are the explicit purview of the Federal Gov't.

I must admit, however, that everytime I read the comments from the immigrant bashers it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to know that I'm helping dozens of undocmented workers to stay here and even get legal.

I think the first step should be to deport Rocky Anderson. I'm sure he will have issues with this and Senator Hickman and use it as a platform for his own personal agenda.

MOST PLACES THAT I HAD WORKED (LANDSCAPING/ CONSTRUCTION) I HAD SEING THAT LEGAL AMERICANS GET PAID WAY MORE THAN AN ILLEGAL ($2 TO $5 DOLLARS MORE). EVEN IF THE ILLEGALS HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE SAME PLACE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS THEY ONLY GET $25 TO $50 CENTS INCRESSE EVERY TWO YEARS IF THEY ARE LUCKY.

Illegals need to be sent home. I'd rather be poorer for it than richer for having illegals here and the result be that I don't even recognize my own country anymore. A temporary workers program is what is in order and who knows who in the goverment is pushing for the citizenship issue over and over. Bought and paid for I suppose like most of our Goverment reps. Can't wait if Hillary gets to be President. I think she is already gathering addresses to donate to the illegals. She seems to have a real thing for them. At their massive march she said (I was watching) "I look at this crowd and I see the future of America. If anyone wonders about her position on illegal immigration, just go back and watch her woo them long before she announced her plan to run for president.

We need an effective immigration law that must be enforced. But it is naïve to think that we should just deport everyone that is not legal in this country. There’s a place where we can get them by the thousands. But it will be the last place we’ll go! The agricultural sector! Why is that? Because we tried that already, because we complained that illegals were taking our jobs. Then our government started deporting them and they went to the most obvious place where they could get them by the thousands. The agricultural sector. They went and got them by the thousands. And as they started deporting them there was no one to work in the fields. And there were many farmers ready to claim their insurance and get their money back. This would have badly hurt the insurance companies because they could not pay all of them. But before that happened they allowed thousands of immigrants to illegally cross the border so that they could go back to work ASAP. Believe me, I saw hundreds and hundreds come back and no one would stop them. That’s why they were given amnesty in 1986

If we really want to enforce our laws lets not forget our U.S. Custom, because there are thousands of Chinese and many Asian immigrants that illegally cross thru our ports like in L.A. San Francisco and N.Y. to name a few. Who is watching our ports? Customs is not helping to our illegal immigration issue.

We need our Federal Government to act. Or we will be forced to break the law to enforce the laws. Because any law passed by the states will be unconstitutional.

We have a real problem and what we need are real solutions. But amnesty or massive deportations are not the solution we need. UNCLE SAM!!! PLEASE ACT

USA gurl i highly disagree to everything you speak about.if you think about it it is so easy for you to say sense your not the one livingng in the situation and for all you other people.i strongly believe that illegals work really hard labor and dont complain to how much less they get payed, if in mexico we had all the opportunities to a good life i dont think any mexican would bother to sneak into america and put up with all this immigration problem.We are good people and if we left millions of jobs would be on the line.We allow people to come into our country and treat them fair and dont complain or try to kick them out when they try to make a living there do we? well maybe you should think about that.We dont come to america because we want to, we come to seek a better future for our families and people thats all because we dont have that opportunity in mexico and many die and are poor and dint have money to feed their family or children.Thank you

Here is the big picture. We are now third in population behind only India and China. Why use up our resources by taking on the excess population (and all the strife) of other counties. In the case of mexico, which is mostly catholic, that religion encourages lots of children regardless of status. One could then conclude this country in effect providing an outlet for this practice.

"Cheap" labor isn't, when it is illegal aliens.

NOBODY can afford to live in this nation at minimum or sub minimum wages; much less support a family.

So while the employer may enjoy cheaper labor costs, we ALL pay for it indirectly: higher medical bills due to unpaid ER visits; higher auto insurance due to uninsured motorists; reduced property values when 3 or 4 illegal alien families share--and destroy--a home and don't keep up the yard; high crime; higher educational costs for ESL; and on and on.

We'd all be better off paying the TRUE market cost of labor. Most studies I've seen, for example, indicate that doubling the cost of farm labor only raises the cost of fruits and veggies 10% or so since the labor represents a small fraction of the total cost of the product.

But even if costs did go up more, we could at least make informed decisions. It is impossible now to see how my choices of vegetables might drive the market for illegal aliens, and hence affect the costs mentioned above. But if Avocados cost twice as much, I might decide to buy something else to eat.

Continued from above:

OR, I might decide that it is worth it to me to pay twice as much for avocados and I might reduce expenses elsewhere. Either way, the cost of something helps me make informed decisions about whether to buy it.

People saving a few percent on labor building million dollar homes in gated communities may not care so much about crime in ungated communities. People spending the weekend at high end ski resorts are thrilled to save a couple of dollars on their housekeeping or food service bill and probably don't have children attending over-crowded Utah schools anyway. I do my own yard work and don't really care if those who are so flush as to hire it out see costs go up. We watch our children and do our laundry. I don't care if nannies and housekeepers get more expensive.

I'm tired of subsidizing the wages of illegal aliens with a thousand and one hidden taxes and lifestyle reductions.

I will HAPPILY pay more for fruits and veggies and rare construction service I have done if that is what it takes to reduce crime and keep our ERs from looking like the 3rd world.

Continued again

Let's look seriously at child labor laws as well. There is a HUGE difference between a kid in some sweat shop or coal mine 60 hours a week and a young person working in a restaurant a couple nights a week, even if he happens to work past 9:00. Like he'd be at home in bed ANYWAY. Better to be at work, than roaming around the streets.

After school and summer jobs were once an important part of growing up, learning a work ethic. The kids get health care and other expenses met by parents most often. AND, rather than sending large portions of their earnings out of the country, they either save or spend the money HERE at home.

But child labor laws have gone over board.

It is now safer, legally speaking, to hire an illegal alien than it is to hire someone under 18 years of age. ICE is a joke. The guys who enforce child labor laws take no prisoners.

Very good Charles H., especially your points on child labor. Imported cheap labor is cheating our own teenagers out of jobs, and the learning experiences. They can afford to take these jobs because they are subsidized by their parents. There is a lot more to be said on this issue.

AILA Member, $10-15 per hour is below subsistence wage in Utah for a family of three, and requires taxpayer subsidy. I am also wondering if it is fair for employers to hire illegal aliens and not pay SSI, taxes, or Workman's Comp. since a social security number would be required, while his honest competitor must hire legal workers and pay these costs?

What section of the U.S. Constitution puts the "entire" responsibility of enforcing immigration and work eligibility on the Federal Government? Would it be Article I Section 8 that requires the Federal Government to provide for defense and protect us from invasion?

What is the real issue or seems to be a problem? For Stewart "imported cheap labor is cheating " where did you get that story maybe you just heard that from some other people whos angry and envy or maybe you have 1 or 2 experience from these cheater,just 1 or 2 ,NOT EVERYONE who came here do same thing what if i said i know a lot of teenagers (teenagers that you know) whos out off job because of first day of work their late, or working with their earphone, or take a break every an hour,and etc. if my comment is allowing me 200 words, we can talk about a million words. stealling and cheating to the money for education, medical, food stamp and why dont you try to go to WIC and find out whos there, LOU D from CNN always show only what negative side of mexican and the places/state where they are. Why dont you go to NYC or upstate NY where they give the foodstamp and free medical youll see whos majority of them came from a rich family or own a cash and carry store.

I live in Oklahoma and the the illegal aliens and their marxist supporters are already whining about the new law before it even goes into effect. States like Oklahoma are taking up this issue because the federal government has abandoned us. If you love the U.S. and want to see it remain as a sovereign nation, more states better follow suit before it's too late. We can't do anything about the blue states from imploding from within, but we can at least protect our own backyards. This illegal invasion is a new type of warfare. Don't kid yourselves that it is anything less than war. If we don't stand up and fight for our rights and for the civil rights of people from 3rd world countries who are being exploited by slavemasters on both sides of the border, our grandchildren won't have a country to call home. Please Utah, join us in this noble cause. This cause is similar to the Cold War in that we're fighting the same enemy. Commie pinkos detest everything this great country stands for and they want to see it wiped off the map. No, se puede!!!

What makes hiring an illegal alien better than hiring someone that has legal residency? I think that you may be biased. If you were to ask the former employees of the Hiram packing plant they'll tell you that they no longer work there because the wages they were paying the undocumented workers were well below what they were being payed thus forcing them out. Those who had worked in construction have had the same experiences. And what about workers compensation. Look at the trucking industry. The harbor truckers use to be payed a good LIVING wage. The harbor truckers are now predominantly Hispanic illegal aliens (with forged documentation). Most hiring illegal aliens do not pay workers compensation because many are being payed under the table.
Also ask those in law enforcement. How many accidents have involved illegal aliens who do not have insurance. They'll tell you there are a large number.
You're enjoying it because you're making a very nice living off the backs people that have been breaking the law.

Why make a law that can cause someone to lose there family by sending them back to their countrys.While in that case who every agrees with this laws that they are making thenyou should be sennd back to no one person owns america. No one person is an america expect the native americans Keep on making this laws and watch how everything is going to trun around for an non american

I agree with you in some part. The only thing I'm against is doing it illegally. I can guarantee you that if I crossed over into Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, Germany, Italy, Russia, China, ect. illegally, I would be arrested or worse. I'll say welcome to America happily if you come here through the correct channels. I have many friends that are here from Mexico, Venezuela, England, and Germany that all came through and became a naturalized citizen. Most of my friends are from Mexico. I'm all for Immigration as long as it is by the rules. I believe that most people feel this way.
it is the illegal immigration that people oppose.

Why is it so hard for law-breaking criminals invading the U.S. to understand that, regardless of the self-deceptions they use to justify their actions, entering the U.S. without authorization is

AGAINST the LAW!!!

The last word is, illegal aliens are...

ILLEGAL!!!

If we deport them all, Who's going to work in the fields? Not us! even if they paid us $15 or $20dlls/hour. Those working conditions are hard and rigorous. Heck, to not be able to stand because it hurts after a long 10-12hour shift. I don't think it would be worth it. Especially since agricultural jobs pay the minimum wage and don't have to pay overtime rates, since its agricultural jobs.

If we legalize all illegal immigrants, why would those agricultural workers stay and work in the field, when they can now go and get a job that would pay more and have much, much better working conditions.

We would still need people to work in the fields, and even if they paid a lot better I don't think most americans would be willing to work under such harsh conditions. Those immigrants do it because that's as good as it gets for them. But I think that if they could get out, they would!

And to anyone having a job with harsh conditions. I commend you.

Like someone said here. Explotation is not better than Slavery.

We need a "REAL SOLUTION" and we need it now!!!

That is why they have work visas. It is for the jobs that most won't do. We've always had it in place. When some employers realized that they could hire some of those worker illegally and pay them cents on the dollar, it opened the floodgates to illegal immigration. The farm and field workers are actually the only alien workers that are here legally. Most of the undocumented aliens are ones working in jobs that were previously held by legal residents or American nationals.

Some field workers have work permits, but they still get pay very little. Agricultural jobs don't pay much. But as I used to live in Imperial Valley CA, I could see that there are many that do not have work permits. That's why I could see a flood of people in town during the season. And they do not have work visas cause after the season is over. That's when the border patrol decides to show up and start deporting everyone. But then we can expect them to be back next season as during the season it gets real easy to cross the border illegaly.

The Work Visas have not worked properly. That can be improved a lot.

And yes! there are other places other than agriculture where there are undocumented aliens working there. Like fast-food restaurants. But there are not many people other than immigrants who are eager to work in those places.

But how do we draw the line between, which jobs are good enough for us and which ones are not and immigrants can have them. Like agriculture or fast-food, etc.

The FEDS have to come up with something and it better be good!!!

I love Oklahoma...but why?

It is simple:
We have a process that albeit is slow is still functional. We can't simply break it or ignore it for our own selfish reasons. Yes, illegals are just that by working in concert with business to profit at the expense of the law biding citizen.

Deportation is a first step to send a message to the coyotes that the door is closed on both ends - corporate and the border. Mexico's greatest asset is illegal workers sending billions of US dollars south without being taxes or reinvesting in America.

Corporations are profit sharing with the executives not the law bidding middle class citizen. It is the truth...illegals are not playing by the rules and that makes you a cheater!

So, what kind of message are we sending our future leaders/children of America? The ends justify the means -play fair only when it benefits you?

Take back Ameirca "one state at a time" and make the illegals stand in line like the rest of us.

Mexico's biggest asset is oil, not the money illegals send to mexico. And those illegals are comsumer too, like us. They got to live while they're here. We can see that as the Wal-Mart's highest selling store in the world is located in Laredo Texas. Where mostly everyone is mexican and probably most of them aren't here legal.

Heck! We probably loose more jobs to China and Asia than we do to illegals. We can solve the illegal immigration problem but we can still loose many companies to China.

I've been looking at the presidential candidates and pay close attention to the ones that pay attention to that issue. We need someone that will help american companies compete in the world and yet stay in america and help the average american not loose their jobs to china.

Our problem is bigger than just illegals. If we get them all out, they'll leave what? the farm, fast-food, landscape jobs. But we'll still loose american manufactures to china. (Manufactures companies request most of them a background check which most illegal can't pass because they don't have documentation).

Some have suggested that illegal aliens are well paid and paid competitively with legal residents. I'm sorry, from my experience and first hand knowledge that just isn't true. When I am interested in how much laborers are making I DON'T ask the foreman; I ask the guy on the shovel. The contractors paying competitive wages, generally AREN'T the guys hiring the illegals. In Utah most of the illegals are paid by the day...not hour. Consequently, $100 a day for someone to lay brick isn't unusal...the guy with a shovel, often less. Often these contractors pay "cash" which is to say, taxes aren't being paid--by the employer or employee.

I don't see that we can afford to have both open boarders and broad spectrum welfare programs.

I feel sorry for the illegals--but America just doesn't have the resources to care for all of the world's poor & needy, and we certainly can't assimulate them into our economy at the current rates of cross-boarder migration.

Tough laws need to put in place to slow the transfer of Mexico's unskilled and under-educated--they sure aren't sending us their engineers & doctors!

GO UTAH! Get a law passed to free your State of the ILLEGAL ALIENS! The Federal Government has failed us BIG TIME on thie illegal immigration.

Somehow, some way, the ILLEGAL ALIENS have got to learn that to enter this Country is a PRIVILEGE. It is NOT a right. No ILLEGAL ALIEN has the right to be in this Country!

I hope that soon all 50 States will step up to the plate and do what our Federal Government has FAILED to do...GET RID OF THE ILLEGAL ALIENS!