Thread: Legislation: Immigrants - Do they help or hurt Utah?

http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_5150324

Immigrant economics: Give or get?
Legislation: Immigrants - Do they help or hurt Utah?
Senator asks how much revenue they contribute compared to costs
By Jennifer W. Sanchez
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 02/03/2007 02:19:04 AM MST


Senator wants to study economic effect of undocumented workers


Sen. Scott McCoy wants Utah lawmakers to have a better idea of the effect of undocumented immigrants in Utah - especially now as the Legislature debates putting immigration policy into state law.
The Senate supported McCoy's request Friday to introduce a bill that would call for a study of how much money undocumented immigrants use in services and how much they contribute in revenue to the state. The bill first needs to be drafted before lawmakers can consider it.
Such a report would allow lawmakers to make more informed decisions when voting on immigration-related measures, said McCoy, a Salt Lake City Democrat. He doesn't understand why some people ask only what kind of a financial drain undocumented families are to Utah.
"Right now, everybody's talking about half of the picture, instead of the whole picture," McCoy said. "If we're going to be making these decisions, we need to have a full and complete view of their economic activity and services used."
At the request of Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, the state's Auditor General Office is conducting an audit on how much undocumented students cost Utah schools.
Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble was hesitant to talk about McCoy's proposal without knowing more about it but said: "Gathering credible evidence - that could do nothing but help us in our decision-making process." Bramble successfully sponsored a bill that restricts access to driver licenses for undocumented immigrants and frequently complains about the strain they have on the state.
There are a handful of bills that deal with immigration in the 2007 Legislature. The bills vary from repealing the law that allows undocumented residents to obtain driving privilege cards to making sure the state seeks federal reimbursement for costs that result from illegal immigration.
A bill to repeal a law that allows eligible undocumented students to pay resident college tuition was killed in the House this week.
It is estimated that there are roughly 90,000 undocumented immigrants in Utah.
Utah immigrant advocates and anti-illegal immigration activists support McCoy's proposal.
"It's a great idea," said Robert Wren, chairman of Utahns For Immigration Reform and Enforcement. "Then, people will know the facts."
Wren said he also hopes the study looks at whether undocumented workers are bringing wages down and how much they cost the education and health care systems.
McCoy's proposal comes a few days after a group of Latino leaders from across the state sent Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. a letter asking him to call for a study of the economic impact of undocumented immigrants to Utah's budget and economy.
The letter refers to a report conducted by the state of Texas that found that undocumented immigrants actually pay more into the system than they use in state services. A spokeswoman in Huntsman's office said the letter was forwarded to the Legislature because that's where such an audit would be "more suited."
Jesse Garcia, a veteran Ogden city councilman, said he helped initiate the letter after hearing about the education audit because it looked one-sided. He said the undocumented community is always blamed for the "ills in America," but he hopes a Utah study shows the opposite.
"We know they must have some sort of impact on the state because they all work and they all buy groceries," he said.
Lorena Riffo-Jensen said she's glad to hear about McCoy's proposal because often the undocumented families are afraid to speak out even though they are at the center of a national debate.
"They haven't had a political voice," she said. "It's easy for them to be targeted."

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No, they shouldn't have a political voice because they shouldn't be here.

"They haven't had a political voice," she said. "It's easy for them to be targeted."

Why should illegal alien lawbreaking criminals who can't vote and should not even be here in the first place have a political voice?

And of course they should be targeted, they are breaking the law. They break the law when they come here, they break it when they buy fake/forged/stolen documents, they break it by stealing people's identities, they break it by working illegally, they break it by not paying taxes. I'd say they deserve to be targeted, as all criminals should be.

Lorena Riffo-Jensen said she's glad to hear about McCoy's proposal because often the undocumented families are afraid to speak out even though they are at the center of a national debate.
"They haven't had a political voice," she said. "It's easy for them to be targeted."

My gosh. What has this country come to?

Why delay !?! Come one come all, step right up and get your U.S. citizenship today!

This offer has no expiration date.

""It's a great idea," said Robert Wren, chairman of Utahns For Immigration Reform and Enforcement. "Then, people will know the facts.""

As long as the study is not biased.

"The letter refers to a report conducted by the state of Texas that found that undocumented immigrants actually pay more into the system than they use in state services. A spokeswoman in Huntsman's office said the letter was forwarded to the Legislature because that's where such an audit would be "more suited.""

I hope our dimwitted former TX Comptroller Keaton-Strayhorn realizes just how NEGATIVE an effect her report had on our society.

Let me see here, Legal-illegal, legal-illegal. legal-illegal, legal- illegal. can anyone see a difference here ,is it so hard to understand that illegal means breaking the law, what the hell difference,is a study going to make, will it change the definition, I think not!!! maybe it is a stall tactic!!!

"We know they must have some sort of impact on the state because they all work and they all buy groceries,"

They may work, but it's the taxpayers who pay for their groceries from what I see. Everytime I go to the supermarket, nearly every Mexican family buying groceries whips out a welfare card to pay for their groceries. They all speak not a single word of English, but when they come up to the checkout they all of a sudden miraculously know one phrase in English- EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer), meaning welfare.

Then they go out to the parking lot and put their $350 worth of tortillas and baby formula into their brand new, gigantic SUVs, and where I live, in San Diego, they all seem to have Mexico license plates. Gee, go figure.

And they have Mexican flag license plate frames, Mexican flag banners in the rear window, a mini Mexican flag hanging from the rear view mirror and a Calvin & Hobbes window sticker of sombrero wearing character peeing on an outline of the United States or the terms "La Migra" or "Gringos".

Lorena Riffo-Jensen said she's glad to hear about McCoy's proposal because often the undocumented families are afraid to speak out even though they are at the center of a national debate.
"They haven't had a political voice," she said. "It's easy for them to be targeted."

Give me a freaking break! They have fear of what? They didn't fear crossing the desert. They didn't fear getting in our faces on national TV calling us names, telling us to leave this continent. They don't fear our BP, police officers or politicians. They don't fear going to our emergency rooms or schools. They don't fear driving while drunk or without a license. They don't fear going to work or applying for welfare. They don't fear going to our courts and suing us. So what fear are they talking about? Duh! All the above is why they are the center of a national debate.

This is really weird, the politicians are talking about illegals as though they came here legally and are being picked on. These people are not citizens here, they are citizens of Mexico and other countries. Why should other countries have any voice here at all? But wait...according to LaRaza, latinos spoke loud and clear on November 7, 06. So tell me, which is it, they haven't had a voice or they spoke loud and clear?

How can a poverty stricken person enter an expensive country like the US with nothing but the clothes on their back and immediately have such a good life that they don't want to go back home? Unless of course someone is giving them the good life. That good life is costing someone some bucks. It's like taking the pacifier from one baby and giving it to another, then slapping the baby for crying about it. Instead of these people adopting a new country, our government has adopted them.

Everywhere there's a massive amount of these dear, dear mistreated illegals (sarcasm intended) there's a report of a booming economy and at the same time going broke. Which is it...booming or broke? Will they come up with more fuzzy math to protect their votes? Of course, cause they plan on these non-citizens voting in 2008.