Deseret News | Immigrant kids under cloud

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Immigrant kids under cloud

Reciprocity | 10:25 p.m. Nov. 2, 2009

It's nice to take a humanitarian approach towards immigrant kids, but it's also time to take a broader view. In Mexico (the source of the largest group of immigrant kids) foreigners cannot enroll in Mexican public schools, cannot claim any public benefits, and get treated with lots of prejudice.

While many brush off this reality by pointing out that only a few gringo kids are affected, they forget that Mexico has its own immigrant problem and they mostly come from poorer countries in Central America (many of whom think they will eventually make it to the USA). Mexico has a very active and harsh program for deporting this immigrants back to their countries of origin.

It is about time that the US adopted a similar policy. After all, the Latin American countries uniformly apply the politics of reciprocity in their dealings with the US.

Legal? | 10:35 p.m. Nov. 2, 2009

If they are legal and eligible for government benefits, they have nothing to fear coming forward to claim them. The government won't arrest or deport people who are here legally. If they are here legally, but are involved in gangs, drug activity, or something else that is illegial, then they have something to worry about. Just have to love these articles defending the 'poor immigrants who are picked on by the big bad government'.

Anonymous | 2:24 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Why are 70% afraid of government raids on their workplace? It sounds like to me that this means that 70% of them are illegal immigrants. If there are that many illegals here in Utah, it is certainly time for the state and local governments to start detaining and deporting them, whether or not they have "anchor babies".

Comments continue below

Luisa | 5:56 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Those kids are under a cloud but it's not our problem, it's their parents. I take responsibility for my actions, and how those actions affect my children; they should have to too. If they're illegal and being deported they need to take their kids with them. I see now that they are using children (obviously more sympathetic) to push through comprehensive immigration reform. These people will stop at nothing. As to why people are hating on Latinos - GET REAL!!! Latinos overwhelmingly support burdening the rest of us with million of Spanish speaking, poorly educated foreigners. They want us to give them Medicaid, foodstamps, welfare, WIC, housing assistance, and the list goes on. It's not us who are causing a THEM vs US scenario, it's them. When they want to act like American citizens, and not citizens of another country then maybe the intolerance will subside.

What would Jesus do? | 6:30 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009

The base of the Statue of Liberty says, "give me your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to be free."

Real Americans and real Christians welcome those looking for a better life!

Anonymous | 9:46 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Most of these children are legal residents of the US whether you bigoted, racist people like it or not. They should have all the same rights and protections as any US resident, whether they are from Mexico, China, Somalia, or any other nation in the world.

cbird | 10:59 a.m. Nov. 3, 2009

What about all of the American people (born and raised here), who have been living off of the system all of their lives, and then their children enroll and raise their kids the same way?

D. Porter | 12:20 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Oh stop it with that Statue of Liberty nonsense.... that thing was a gift from France. That lame poem, written by some Israeli of questionable morals, was added later. Said statue has nothing to do with dictating immigration policy. Sheesh!

Illegal aliens are criminals by definition. They need to be deported. It's the law.

Jerry W | 1:18 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

We, as citizens of the U.S.A.,need to face reality. If the people of the world had the option, probably over half of them would come to our country to live. How would it be if the population of this country was three or four billion. The ship of state would sink and most of the people would be in abject poverty. I think the real problem is that most of the governments of this world are corrupt. Preserving their own privileges at the expense of a more equitable type of system. That is the primary reason we have an immigration problem today. That is why countries such as Mexico have a problem with their poor. What is their solution? Encourage them to come to the good old USA and let us take care of their problem. By the way, Mexico in total is not a poor country.

Immigrant | 2:15 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

The DN continues to confuse the issue by refering to illegals are immigrants. They are not immigrants, they are illegal aliens who have entered our country illegally. If they produce anchor babies who are US citizens, they have two choices, take your children back where you came from when you are and should be deported or leave them here with legal friends/family. Lest anyone think I'm a bigot or racist, I am a legal immigrant who waited years(over 10 years)and sacraficed so much to come here and these people should get in line so they can come here legally and hold their heads high. Otherwise they are thieves of my "american dream" and the dream of thousands of others who come here legally. Send them back to wherever they originated.

Fault | 2:18 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

It is the fault of the parents of these anchor babies that these children are being denied or deprived of opportunities or services. If they were legal immigrants, then they could take advantage of services to assist their children. It is their own fault.

Think about it | 2:24 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

For a state that pride's itself on moral turpitude we have a long way to go when it comes to our collective treatment of immigrants; not just any immigrant but specifically Latino immigrants. There is a racially motivated camplaign to drive Latinos out. People are not looking for a handout and by the way if we don't have enough room or jobs maybe we should put limits on how many children people can have in the good ol' USA. After all, we need to protect what we already have right? There isn't enough for all of us if Utahns have the highest rates of reproduction in the nation. Sounds disgusting right? So is hating someone for their race alone. Where's the drive to ban all white, illegal Canadian immigrants?

Anonymous | 2:53 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Ater reading some of these posts,
I guess Mike Huckabee was right after all,

Mormons aren't Christians.

Sterling | 2:54 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Its sad to see enforcement of the law become a political "football". Yes, they (illegals) are making babies as fast as they can with the hopes that somehow all the extra kids will allow them to stay here indefinitely, and illegally. I live and work around most of the illegals, and SOME of them are GREAT people, BUT, they are breaking the law! Whats worse, is that WE put up with it. I don't think MOST politicians realize how important the issue is to Utahns. Utahns need the jobs, and DESERVE the jobs the illegals take. They add VERY LITTLE to the economy, they "Western Union" almost all of their wages back home. They are able to do so because Utah taxpaying citizens provide them with WIC, food stamps, free education, not to mention free charities like LDS church, food bank, etc. They actually live quite inexpensively once they have collected all the "freebies" available to them!

Ken Lowry | 2:58 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

In truth, most of us are descendents of immigrants Only American Indians were the residents of this country when we started off-loading onto these shores.
I don't believe, as we now enjoy the security and comfort of this country, we can close our minds to others of similar beginnings that we had.
I am a real friend of Mexico and its culture, although I am of Irish decent. The most likely problem is that the Mexicans fail to adopt the American culture, language etc. The should certainly enter through legal procedures.
We have a vivid history of accomodating the immigrants from other countries, cultures and languages. For instance, Hamtramick(s?)an initial location for Polish immigrants. If at hadn't been possible I would not now have a beautiful, brilliant Polish wife.
We need reasonable and rational policies to deal effectively with this question.
I firmly believe we can not take the position:
"I've got mine. Too bad about you!"

Anonymous | 3:05 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Tell your whinnie sob stories to the Hopis, Navajo, Ute, Goshutes, Piutes, and Shoshone.

Your intolerant, pious, bigoted, racism makes me just sick.

The Nephites had it all once and lost it for the very same reasons I see some of you spewing now. Pride.

If it was me, I'd give it all back to the Lamanites again! Your pride breaks my bleeding heart.

Peace.

Nicholas A. Russell | 3:17 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

Education is an important social service. Researchers virually all agree that those who go to college are significantly less likely to commit crimes, use illegal drugs, smoke cigarettes, and live unemployed. This is why community leaders in law enforcement, education, and immigration are calling for the bill's repeal. To those who say that immigration brings with it crime, I would respond by arguing that we need to provide more opportunites for immigrants (documented or not) to enter higher education. Satistics overwhelmingly demonstrate that higher education breaks cycles of poverty, opens new door, and reduces the risk of violent crime. Treating immigrants like criminals will only create criminals. Extending all of our services--from education to health--will allow us to treat immigrants as the human beings that they are. And treating people like human beings--with all the rights and responsibilites associated with that label--produces healthy, functional human beings.
Nicholas Russell
Co-Director of Forensics
The University of Utah

Nelson | 3:31 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

"Who is my neighbor?"

M.Middleton | 3:32 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

I agree with my colleague Nick's comments.

I might only add that an equally sizeable mountain of literature points to the fact that increased diversity leads to increased educational outcomes. Defending a position that denies access to undocumented students only limits the educational value of the institutions you and your children attend.

On a side note, there is a undeniable irony in the fact that a community so influenced by a culture of persecuted immigrants, e.g. Mormons, is persecuting an immigrant culture.

Let's spend our energies helping more, not less, people gain access to education.

M.Middleton
Co-Director of Forensics
University of Utah

cbird | 3:50 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

As one person said in their comment. They ARE NOT Immigrants, they are here illegally so they are illegall's.

CORRECT?

Opinion | 4:55 p.m. Nov. 3, 2009

This article belongs on the Opinion Page of the Deseret News. It is the news paper's way of promoting amnesty for illegal aliens. "It is all about the children." Amnesty for illegal aliens is a big step toward open borders.

The DN complains about the Mexican immigrants, both legal and illegal having problems with jobs and other restrictions. I wonder if this is because, there are by far more illegal and legal Mexicans than any other nationality. So what? Many of the citizens are having trouble as well.

Whenever anyone decides to ignore or violate the laws it drags their children into the problem. Don't forget that these legal, and especially illegal immigrants can always return home and even take their anchor babies with them. This isn't going to happen though, because no matter how bad they find it in the United States, it is worse in Mexico or where ever they are from.

The United States needs to stop the anchor baby deal. A state needs to stop giving birth certificates and then the Supreme Court would have to decide what the 14th Amendment really means.

Ricardo | 11:35 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Much of the bad rap/culture comes from Mexico. It's one thing to be here in USA illegally, but another to have this material catered to you as you watch TV.
Sadly, RACISM is alive and well on our shores en Espanol. We could not believe our eyes/ears watching this on Spanish TV, so got it taped and translate/subtitled for ‘Mainstream USA’ to notice what slides by on our own ‘foreign-language’ media. WARNING: The jokes are offensive to most all races, except perhaps whatever you call Mexicans.
On YouTube, search for TELMEXUVISION.

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