Deseret News | Immigration backers urged to get involved

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Immigration backers urged to get involved

gary poorfield | 2:18 a.m. March 22, 2008

I am concerned those that are actually new immigrants would take action to allow illegal immigrants more rights. If anything they are demonstrating anti-American cultural values. No one is against legal immigration, but Americans are unhappy with illegasl immigration. Those tyhat do not obey the laws of the lands they come to , enter through back doors in secret, break laws to hide who they are by taking someone elses legal identity is wrong. It is wrong their their own people from what ever country they come from. There are 12-20 million people whpo have or will apply legally who wait their turn in the proper order. My wife is a legal immigrant, we have had to jump every hoop to bring her without family and now after about 5 years she is ready to become a legal citizen, She didn't sneak in brothers , sisters, mothers or fathers, or children illegally to the USA, nor does she steal someone elses identity. She will have to wait at least 10 years are more to have her parents come legally, she doesn't get to get her brothers and sisters here. Yet there is a whole illegal group breaking every law.

john davenport | 2:23 a.m. March 22, 2008

Let's call what is really trying to be done for what it is. Try stacking the elections with those that will try to make legal what is illegal. Those discussing immigrantion are not taking about changing immigrantion laws. Those laws deal with how to bring people here legally. They are already in place. They have been used to bring many millions through the front door successfully. What this article talks about is how to skirt around the legal way and try to make it easier for illegals to become accepted without doing any of the steps to immigration or citizenship. Those that have come into the USA illegally want freedom to have a method of gaining legal status above and beyond the regular way. Much like one breaking into sopmeone elses house, and they trying to argue they should be made the owner of the property after all they have been in the house for 5 or more years. Do not mind they took possession of the house illegally. Nor that their friends and relatives all crowd into the same house illegally. They want you to believe the problem is the USA' immigration policy, not being a cheat.

Raven | 7:15 a.m. March 22, 2008

To compare law abiding Americans who want our immigration laws enforced to Nazis is outrageous. Also, I wonder if Mr. Yapias et al would be as thrilled with illegal immigration if the immigrants didn't look like them? Some of this Latino pride seems to border on a type of racism itself.

Comments continue below

OneVote | 8:06 a.m. March 22, 2008

They're using that same, tired trick again; calling it "anti-immigration". Well, it isn't. America is fed up with illegal aliens, not immigrants. Yapias knows the difference but he hopes to get some "racist" mileage out of his campaign.
So, let me say it again: The issue here is illegal aliens, NOT immigration.

jennifer | 8:16 a.m. March 22, 2008

i think that until you have been in some ones shoes you shouldnt judge them i know for a fact that friends and family members of mine discriminate against hispanics just because they have no idea what it is like to be in there shoes. i also think that if hispanics are going to be in the usa they should have the benifits that come with being a citizen.and they should have to pay the same taxes that i have to pay. i have a friend that got all of his taxes back this year because he can claim his parents that live in mexico and i had to pay taxes because i make too much to claim head of house hold .so how is it fair that me an american citizen pays taxes and he an undocumented alien gets money back from our government?

Utah Republican | 9:19 a.m. March 22, 2008

It's too bad we only let immigrants vote if they are citizens. We should let all resident immigrants vote.

WatchDog | 10:48 a.m. March 22, 2008

Once again, the same old tired line: These people cannot tell the difference between legal and illegal!

NOT ONE OF THE SESSION'S BILLS BEING SPOKE OF DEALT WITH "LEGAL" IMMIGRANTS! NOT ONE!

They dealt with ILLEGAL aliens and their greedy employers!

DahktaD | 11:30 a.m. March 22, 2008

The immigrant community has brought this backlash on themselves. They cannot control their own communities, accept NO responsibility for the ever escalating crime wave FROM that community, do not pay their fair share of the costs of them being here in the first place. Another item...I would hope that our election officials start monitoring WHO is voting in OUR elections...illegals, non-immigrants and permanent residents CANNOT vote in our elections...in fact, permanent residents caught voting will LOSE their resident status and be deported. Anyone having knowledge of a permanent resident voting should report this to the election commission and ICE immediately. Curious...is yapping Yapias a permanent resident or naturalized citizen?

concerned for us | 12:28 p.m. March 22, 2008

come on now, are these people wanting legal immigration or a country overrun by illegals? We have no problem with LEGAL immigration, I welcome any LEGAL new citizen into my community with open arms. I am sick and tired of the crimes and damage done by these crimes to young children and women. So If you are legal WELCOME, illegal I will run you off with a shotgun. If you hire illegals I think you should be run off your property and have to live in mexico with your illegal workers.

Arnold Young | 12:46 p.m. March 22, 2008

Illegals get here by breaking the LAW. Illegals fill the jails, crowd the roads, sell drugs and commit violent crimes. Check the news!! Yet their names are never mentioned in the news-WHY IS THAT??? Illegals get on welfare-send their kids to school-get free medical care--all at taxpayers expense. And then they demand rights?? They have no standing at a CAUCUS. They cannot vote if they are illegal-they have no legal rights. You gotta be kidding me. And then they get angry if legal citizens try and put a stop to it. WHEN DO YOU AND I, LEGAL CITIZENS, GET OUR RIGHTS?

WatchDog | 12:59 p.m. March 22, 2008

Yapias says that several bills debated in the last legislative session were aimed at limiting the freedoms of Hispanic immigrants {read ILLEGAL ALIENS}. He hopes that by becoming more involved politically at the grass-roots level, {ILLEGAL} immigration supporters will be able to stop antagonistic bills earlier.

"We {THE ILLEGAL ALIEN SUPPORTERS} have been ignored, and that's why we {THE ILLEGAL ALIEN SUPPORTERS} need to be at the table," he said. "

......

It'll be interesting to see, if Merrill Cook will be afforded the same "publicity."

Spoc | 1:10 p.m. March 22, 2008

I suspect it might be a little difficult to deport a citizen of this country but it is a fascinating and logical thought.

Just a fine, even a stiff one, is not much of a threat if the probability of getting caught is very low or you can afford to buy your indulgences.

But they should definitely loose both their business license and any professional license they might possess, like a contractors license.

Bob | 2:14 p.m. March 22, 2008

"Illegal" = criminal. Criminals must be prosecuted (certainly not persecuted, but prosecuted). We don't have the resources to round up all the illegals & deport them, much less imprison them, but we shouldn't welcome criminals - criminals by the very way they entered this country. We shouldn't make it any easier for them than it already is. If they want to be in the USA (& I can't blame them for that), let them go through the proper procedures to enter legally, & live honorably.

Paul | 4:15 p.m. March 22, 2008

I wonder if Yapias really understands what the word 'immigrant' means. Or 'illegal', for that matter.

concerned citizen | 6:24 p.m. March 22, 2008

Sounds like Yapias is an enemy to our laws and Country.

Stuart | 9:06 p.m. March 22, 2008

You are absolutely correct Illegal is criminal. And I can't believe Yapias trying tell us breaking the law is OK. And the so do call "illegal alien supporter" said they are being ignore. Why they are being ignore was because they are treating all the legal immigrant and US Citizen like dummy.

Indeed, their Ill logic was, let's the illegal breaking our law and then ask us to protecting them with our Law. What kind of logic is that? If you don't respect our law, what bases is covering your constitutional right? NONE..Nothing So don't tell us illegal breaking the law is ok and then trying to tell all of us you are being ignore and loosing your right!!!

DahktaD | 7:20 a.m. March 23, 2008

Deporting an American Citizen? A US born citizen...can't happen. However, a Naturalized Citizen CAN BE deported if ICE finds they in any way lied on their application or committed a crime that was omitted...to include voting as a permanent resident. A process called de-naturalization is instituted...if found in violation, they lose citizenship then permanent residence, then are subsequently deported. ANYONE who obtained status through these now de-naturalized citizens ALSO lose their status...the whole family can go back together.

tenx | 9:27 a.m. March 23, 2008

I'm sure that Yapias knows the difference between an Illegal Alien and a legal immigrant. But that is not his agenda. He wants more illegal Hispanics to come to this country. His group promotes that. And isn't it not so comforting that soon to be citizen Dolores Crespo first thing wants to milk the system and help the Hispanics. When my father-in-law was finally admitted to this country (after years of waiting, paying fees, health checks, etc.) we had to agree in writing to cover his health expenses and be financially responsible for him for several years after he immigrated. Now, after 7 years as a citizen he needs heart surgery and isn't eligible for medicare until after 10 years. As the hospital told him "if you had come across the border last night your surgery would be paid for". And I find it DISGUSTING that a student from Tapachula, Mexico gets in-state tuition at Utah State and a student from Preston, Idaho has to pay out of state tuition at that close by university.

tenx | 9:34 a.m. March 23, 2008

This article by Andrew Kirk should be labeled "Illegal Immigration backers urged to get involved"

Jerry | 9:25 a.m. March 26, 2008

How can these people, who break our law by coming here illegally, have the gall to talk about their "rights?" "Treated like criminals?" Breaking the law is what defines a criminal. If they want to get involved politically, let them get involved in Mexico. If they fixed their own political problems, they wouldn't have to enter this country illegally. Calling an illegal immigrant an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "undocumented pharmacist." Go home. Apply for an immigrant visa. Then I will listen to your concerns.

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