Thread: UT: Utah needs illegal alien study

http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs...ON01/702210328

Article published Feb 21, 2007

Utah needs illegal alien study

The debate rages on after the first ever state-funded study on the economic impact of undocumented immigrants was revealed in Dec. 2006. The financial analysis was done in Texas and specifically evaluated the influence of an estimated 1.6 million illegal aliens - about 6 percent of that state's population. Now Utah is in a position to do a study of its own - and it should.

While the Texas Controller, Carolyn Strayhorn, said the study findings showed that illegal immigrants put in about $420 million more into Lone Star State coffers than they took out in 2005, critics say the study was flawed for not taking into account that Texas does not have an income tax, and therefore, did not account for unreported cash wages. Furthermore, that undocumented immigrants actually cost taxpayers $3.7 billion annually, critics said.

The study tried to make the intangible real by using identifying factors such as gross state product, revenues generated, taxes paid and the cost of state services. It's no wonder the study drew wide-spread attention and controversy because it contradicts the idea that immigrants drain the system more than they put into it.

Aside from the clash of viewpoints, the study has brought attention to the need to know exactly how undocumented immigrants are affecting states within the Union. The jury may still be out on whether they are positive contributors or not, but the main emphasis is determining the answer to set appropriate policy.

A Virginia Senate committee is considering a proposal for a two-year study on the impact that illegal immigrants have on its schools, health care system and law enforcement agencies. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Utah to do something similar, which has been proposed by Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake City.

The Utah Senate agreed to let him open a late bill file to call for "a study of the economic and budgetary impact of undocumented immigrants on the state of Utah," reported published accounts. His resolution is still being drafted. However, it is our sincere desire that it gets finished and is proposed before the end of the 2007 Legislative General Session so it can be completed by the 2009 Legislature.

A research study is needed and would shed some much-needed light on the illegal immigrant population here in Utah and what it's doing. That knowledge will be incredibly useful since Utah's foreign-born population grew 21.6 percent between 2000 and 2005 - to an estimated 192,916 persons - according to data from the American Community Survey.

If knowledge truly is power, it's time Utah start flexing its muscles to deal with the illegal immigrant issue because it is not going to go away. Information will add to the public debate and most certainly aid in setting state, and perhaps, federal policy.

Don't pass the opportunity by, pass McCoy's resolution. The future of Utah may depend on it.

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Comments by: steadykat Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:14 am
There will be a Citizens Council on Illegal Immigration meeting this Thursday, February 22, at 7:00 PM. at the Washington County Commissioner's chambers. The address is 197 East Tabernacle (diagonal across from Iceberg hamburgers). Commissioner Denny Drake will be there to address questions concerning the newly formed Task Force on Illegal Immigration.


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Comments by: steadykat Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:00 am
Utah needs to enforce the law, not do another worthless illegal alien study. It is against the law to come here illegally. It is against the law for an illegal to use an American citizen's Social Security number on a job application. It is against the law to hire an illegal alien. It is against the law to use fake SS #'s, fake birth certificates and fake driver's licenses to get benefits, like welfare, that an illegal is not entitled to by law.

For all you recently arrived illegals aliens: It is against the law to operate a motor vehicle while drunk. It is against the law to leave your vehicle after a drunk driving accident. It is against the law to steal. It is against the law to stab your friends and neighbors with sharp objects, like knives. It is against the law to go into someone else's house and take their 4 year old daughter into the bathroom and molest her. It is against the law to come back into this country after deportion and stab your illegitimate baby during a police standoff. It is against the law to murder 15 year old girls. It is against the law to shoot U.S. citizens in the head.

It is immoral to expect taxpaying American citizens to foot the bill for the incarceration, education and healthcare of illegal aliens and their children. The politicians think that the illegal invasion of America will give them greater power. It means cheap (slave labor) for the Republicans and a whole new easy to manipulate voting block for the Democrats. You and I get to pay for their plans with our tax dollars and with our blood and the blood of our friends and family.

The U.S. Constitution, Article. 4. Section 4 states: The United States of America shall guarantee to every state in this Union a Repulican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against INVASION; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive against domestic Violence.


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I would have to agree w/ the comment posted by Steadykat. I live in UT, primarily the Salt Lake Valley, and we do not need a study. The illegal population is out of control, and UT needs to start enforcing the law, and get rid of Chris Cannon and Bob Bennett. These two are completely worthless!
UT like so many other states, have this problem. I'm tired of hearing spanish being spoken everywhere.

We have more mexican restaurants and spanish mercados around here than mcdonalds (no kidding).
It isn't just Salt Lake County which is having this problem as well. Many other counties are having the same problem w/ illegals.
The recent shooting we had at Trolley Square should prove that.

If our state government wants to do a study then fine. All they have to do is drive west from Salt Lake City into Glendale (nicknamed south central salt lake by us locals) or Rose Park, or Kearns, West Valley, Taylorsville, blah blah...the list goes on and on.
Kearns is one of the scariest places here in Salt Lake Valley. Kearns leads the state of UT in the biggest amount of methamphedimenes sold and produced in the entire state! (sad)
About 6 months ago we had a West Valley police office die from esophigul cancer due to side effects from being in so many homes where people are cooking meth, with the biggest majority of them being illegal.
Anyway, all they would have to do is drive around and see for themselves the run down neighborhoods, gang grafitti, 30 people to a two bedroom apt, garbage all over the yard, the lawns haven't been mowed since 1999. You know, the usual "symptoms" of illegal problems.

America has enough problems without taking on mexico's. If mexico wants to send their problems here, then they should pay america for accepting them. Instead of us sending aid to mexico, mexico should be paying us. they have the money and the resources. We don't need to be paying mexico's bill. Mexico doesn't have free medical care so they should be paying the medical care for their people, they should be paying the educational bill for their people. they should be paying for the cost of keeping their criminals in jails.

You can do all the studies you want but if you are not going to be honest about it then it is a waste of time and taxpayers money.
And then ask themsevles if money is the only problem, because I see one of the biggest problems is people not assimilating and turning our country into Mexico.
Not being able to communitcate with each other is another huge problem!!