Comments about ‘Utahns will not copy Arizona's immigration law’

Interesting view, Jerry Earl Johnston.

But, what happens when the law withstands the court challenges and deemed constitutional. Don't think it will happen? Two stories in the news today:

Crime Sweep in Arizona nets 111 with 78 of those arrested, suspected of being in the U.S. illegally

The measure Brewer signed won't take effect for months. Sheriff Joe Arpaio's "crime suppression operation" relies on legal opinions from former County Attorney Andrew Thomas to conduct his operations, in which deputies target motorists who commit moving violations or have equipment issues on their cars and launch into immigration screening when the circumstances dictate.

Or this: Nearly 600 arrested in immigration sweep

The sting involved nearly 400 federal and local law enforcement officers who sought out convicted criminals in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Puerto Rico.

Authorities didn't single out a specific nationalitythose arrested came from at least 60 nations in Latin America, Asia, Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The immigrants face immediate deportation or immigration hearing, although at least 12 could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of felony re-entry.

I'm sorry, was this intended to be some sort of humor column?

While some of the circumstances cited are valid, the conclusions drawn from them are out of touch with reality.

Most Utahns place a very high emphasis on obedience to the law, and desire for people who break the law to mend their ways.

Since everyone can have differing opinions on this issue, allow me to state that Utah will pass a law very similar to Arizona's requiring police to check immigration status on people who are detained or arrested for other criminal acts.

Legal immigrants have always been welcome in Utah.

Now, let's get everybody to obey the laws, including immigration laws, or send them elsewhere.

Re:DN Subscriber

"Since everyone can have differing opinions on this issue, allow me to state that Utah will pass a law very similar to Arizona's requiring police to check immigration status on people who are detained or arrested for other criminal acts."

The Supreme Court has already ruled that police do not have a right to check identification of persons who they detain even if theres reasonable suspicion that they may have committed a crime and an arrest can only occur when they have good reason to believe a felony was committed and not just a misdemeanor unless that misdemeanor occurred in their presence.

This bill doesn't just allow police to check the immigration status of those they arrest for other crimes instead it allows them to arrest them for failure to provide identification and proof that they are legally in the U.S. which the Courts have already ruled to be unconstitutional.

"Most Utahns place a very high emphasis on obedience to the law, and desire for people who break the law to mend their ways."

Then why would Utahans support Arizona breaking the law and violating the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens?

Pitting Saint against Saint? As TRUE Saints, we believe in honoring, upholding and obeying the law. There are Saints around the globe and if they call themselves true believers and followers of the faith, then they should all be obeying the law.

Come on Jerry,
Read the new law. It mirrors a Federal Law that has been in effect for 40 years. No one will simply be pulled over for being hispanic. First they would have to do something against the law. Then if there was any suspition they can be asked to show proof of legal status. It is no different for you or me. If we do something against the law we will be asked for ID as well. If it can't be produced then they would interogate us further as well. There are many hispanics here in Phoenix legally that are for this law. Do the research, then write your column.

Well said Jerry Johnston. Immigration is a very complicated issue with no easy solutions. Hopefully the state of Utah will take a more measured approach than Arizona so as not to alienate a large portion of the population and sabotage the fragile economy. A few years ago the LDS church asked Utah's legislators to have "more compassion" in dealing with illegal immigrants. Hopefully they will head that advice in this situation.

Hope you're right, Jerry. Arizona's law is the wrong answer to the problem of immigration from Mexico. We, US people, need to find ways to help our meighbors, not fence them out, not cart them off to jail. The US has an opulent society and economy, Mexico is much poorer, and these immigrants are the poorest. A model would be the joining of East to West Germany; the country struggled and sacrificed for a while, now Germany is a strong economy. Hard work, education are some keys to raising oneself out of poverty. Fences won't work, summons won't work, Arizona tear up your bad law!

I stopped reading after number #1.

Utah and Arizona have "stop-and-identify" statutes. The law is legal. It's interesting how many people know how it will be enforced, before the law takes effect.

Are we ever going to see a immigration law that has support from the Latino organizations? Or is it amnesty or nothing for lawbreakers?

attentive, please don't drag us LDS into your vision of this political problem. of course we honor obey and sustain the law. the law is bad, out of date, out of tune, and must be changed. stop hailing the present immigration laws as good, they're not. we must get the feds to make immigration easier and more accessible to our friends from Mexico. we must find solutions to their poverty, there surely are some assets available in our relatively opulent society. after you finish reading that article of faith to us, take a look at the parable of the good samaritan, we believe in that idea too...

A bit puzzled how Jerry Johnston knows that the governor of Arizona is "morally weak".

Arizona is taking a measured approached and 1070 has been reviewed and thought out a great deal. People like Mr. Johnston surprise me with their lack of understanding of law. Doesn't the LDS church admonish its members to "live the law of the land"? What about Arizona having one of the largest populations of LDS church members outside of Utah?

Come visit Arizona Mr. Johnston and see the mess lack of federal enforcement on illegal immigration has forced Arizona to do.

Well done, Jerry! Cooler heads and compassionate hearts will, hopefully, prevail on this issue. The Fed's must provide a more realistic way to immigrate legally before we can feel justified in jailing and deporting folks. Who are you are fooling about the profiling likelihood? We were on vacation in So. Calf. over spring break and got waved through a check point on the freeway while EVERY car stopped had those with a south of the border appearance inside. How many of us have the slightest idea what it's like to live with that kind of prejudice?

@Solomon - "The Supreme Court has already ruled that police do not have a right to check identification of persons who they detain..."

Please provide the case you reference. If law enforcement stops you for breaking a law, etc. they have every right to ask for identification.

Example?

The crime sweeps in Arizona this past Thursday and Friday - 111 were arrested for breaking various laws and 78 of those arrested are believed to be in the U.S. illegally.

This article could not be more in error... When Illegals leave Arizona where do you think they will go? U-T-A-H! College and high schoolers will have the opportunity to fill minimum wage jobs and no LDS honor, sustain , & obey the law. The Arizona law is NOT unconstitutional... it is needed and needed now did you see the interview of the illegal in the news where was he headed when he left? Oh yes, UTAH! Unless we want unlimited immigration and no way to check it and watch those who come here we need troops on the border and mines or whatever technology we can use to enforce it...

Arizona already passed a law about 3 years ago requiring the police/courts etc to check the immigration status of those accused of a crime and to deny bail for those here illegally (as they tend to not show up in court!) I believe it was been upheld in court. Jan Brewer of Arizona is a very moral person and Arizona is trying to deal with a serious problem that the federal government refuses to. Before you condemn the Arizona legislature for passing this law, you should live there and see what they are trying to deal with. Or better yet, ask the deputy shot by an AK-47 yesterday by Illegal immigrants, or the family of the rancher killed by those entering this country illegally on the border. Ask people in the neighborhoods where drop-houses have been located or those living near the border who have their cattle slaughtered in the middle of the night or who hear hundreds of them pass by their homes every night. The Arizona law was written with the help of Constitutional lawyers who based it on the federal law already on the books. Don't blame Arizona, blame Washington.

Identity theft is a crime.
Entering a country without authorization to do so is a crime.
Working in said country without authorization to do so is, you guessed it, a crime.

For anyone harboring warm fuzzies over immigrants, think of the ramifications. Where is it said that America has to save every other country from the guillotine? Mexico is horribly corrupt and cannot police itself, so it ENCOURAGES its citizens to emigrate to the US and send money home, so their economy can gain from it. When children's SSN's are stolen and used fraudulently, people's credit histories are ruined beyond repair, theft, burglary and other crimes run rampant in YOUR neighborhoods along with the graffitti and gangs brought from illegal immigration, we'll see how charitable you feel.

I an suprosed how judgemental Jerry ois towrd peole he doe not know.

and yet he belives he is in a position to judge them call the mnames, and characterizes them,


This is not about compassion or morals

and has NEVER been about morals or compassiuon,


it is about doing the right thing.


following the law,


or shoulld illegals NOT BE EQUAL under the law,

some, like Jerry, would have us put illegals ABOVE the law.

condemn anyone who would have us obeys laws,
or expect illegals to obey laws.



YOU CAN round up illegals up and send them back home humanely.

If you cross the north Korean border illegally you get 12 years of hard labor.

If you cross the Iranian border illegally you are detained indefinately.

If you cross the Afghan border illegally you get shot.

If you cross the Saudi Arabian border illegally you will be jailed.

If you cross the Chinese border illegally you may never be heard from again.

If you cross the Venezuelan border illegally you are branded a spy and your fate will be sealed.

If you cross the Cuban border illegally you will be thrown will be thrown into a political prison.

If you cross the U.S. border illegally you get:

1 - A job,
2 - A drivers lecense,
3 - Social security card,
4 - Welfare,
5 - Food Stamps,
6 - Credit Cards,
7 - Subsidized rent or a loan to buy a house,
8 - Free education,
9 - Free health care,
10 - A lobbiest in Washington
11 - Billions of dollars of public documents printed in your language
12 - And the right to carry your countries flag while you protest that you don't get enough respect.

I agree with the last two commenters. We cannot confuse being compassionate with the poor with encouraging the flood of illegals into our country. Congress needs to act immediately to stop the flood of illegals by either giving them green cards so they can work here or demanding that they leave. Our health care, law enforcement, educational, and welfare systems will soon become bankrupted if the congress continues to turn a blind eye to the flood of illegals into our country.

Jerry,

I have been a fan of yours for years and admire your insights.

I respectfully disagree with you on this one. And accusing the governor of Arizona of being "morally weak" -- where did that come from?

Expecting everyone in America to abide by the same laws is not being hateful.

I'm with you praxis. If we had some apple pie, we could have it a la mode, if we had some ice cream.