Southern Utah residents have say on immigration

BY DAVID DEMILLE • ddemille@thespectrum.com • November 13, 2008



ST. GEORGE - A slumping economy may have dominated the headlines of late, but immigration took center stage Wednesday, during a meeting of the Utah Legislature's interim Immigration Committee at Dixie State College.
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The committee, assigned by legislative leadership to study immigration issues and make recommendations for future state action, has met throughout the state this year, gathering input from residents and hearing testimony from various community leaders.

In Wednesday's meeting, members of local anti-immigration groups such as the Utah Minutemen and Citizens Council Against Illegal Immigration weren't shy about their takes on the issue, saying undocumented immigrants cost U.S. citizens in a myriad of ways. Some clapped when Rep. Neil A. Hansen, D-Ogden, arguing that undocumented immigrants deserve humane treatment, barbed "Why don't we just shoot people as they come across the border?"

Committee members said they simply wanted to gather information as they consider possible legislation on immigration, and asked for new ideas and thoughts on how the state government could best handle the issue.

Larry Meyers, a local attorney and member of the Citizens Council Against Illegal Immigration, said the issue shouldn't be about race, but about whether someone is legal or illegal. He encouraged the committee to consider ways to improve immigration enforcement through both funding and legislation.

"We care about this issue," he said. "We don't want our community invaded by people who aren't in this country legally."

Aaron Corsi, a St. George resident who has lived in California, said he hopes the gangs and crime he saw there don't engulf Southern Utah. He said it has been difficult finding work in St. George lately, and he sees mostly Latinos doing the construction.

"It's frustrating when I go to some of these places and can't get a job, and the ones working are illegals," he said.

Such concerns have already spurred some local government action. Last week the St. George City Council voted unanimously to include a new clause in business license applications that makes business owners certify that all of their workers are legal.

Retired Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, has sponsored legislation that would make it tougher for undocumented immigrants to get jobs and find places to live in Utah. SB81, set to take effect in July 2009, was toned down from earlier versions as it passed through the Legislature, but still includes provisions that mandate some employers verify their workers are legal and allows police officers to enforce immigration law.

Opponents of such legislation contend these attempts do little in actually addressing the fundamental problems behind the issue, and often lead to profiling and incite racism.

Manny Aguilar, a St. George resident and activist for Latino affairs in the area, said he is concerned that immigration legislation would only be focused toward Latinos, and said the issue has caused divisions among American and Latino cultures.

"We don't see anybody else getting picked on," he said.

If the government pursues Legislation, some residents asked that it also promote a peaceful discourse, said St. George resident Yulma Diaz. She said she has personally been ridiculed and belittled because of her looks, despite being a U.S. citizen.

"As we do this, can we at least promote peace?" she said.

Hansen, who said his district is the most diverse and economically challenged in the state, said his main concern was making sure to prevent discrimination.

"This country of the United States is a United States of immigrants," he said.

The committee heard two presentations on E-Verify, an online system jointly operated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to check the work status of new hires.

Gloria Aitken, management and program analyst with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Department of Homeland Security, said the system, often criticized for technical problems and database errors, has had most of its bugs worked out, citing a "94 percent accuracy rate."

Hickman, also a committee member, said he was concerned that the system is inherently flawed as currently instituted, because employers must voluntarily choose to take part.

"That doesn't solve the problem," he said. "The problem is an attempt to verify the status of the employees, and I can't imagine, if it's on a voluntary status, what benefit that is."

Barbara Szweda, public policy advocate with the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, gave a presentation on the system as well, calling it a "quick fix" to the problem of undocumented workers that has actually caused enormous financial losses to both businesses and employees because of ongoing technical problems and obvious threats to privacy.

"It's sort of like throwing the baby out with the bath water if we don't take the time to look at the impact it could have on American citizens," she said, arguing that while the system may catch some undocumented workers, it could also hurt legal citizens through unfair errors.
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