We Approve!
Posted on 04/09/2011 7:22:19 PM PDT by iowamark
SALT LAKE CITY – Liberal immigration activists are looking to Utah as a compassionate and logical model for shaping the nation's future policies toward illegal immigrants.
Utah leaders — including government, education, business and religious groups — came together last fall to draft a set of principles to guide the immigration debate in the state. Those guidelines, known as the Utah Compact, state in part that illegal immigrants are essential to the economy and deserving of respect.
The recommendations are credited with helping pass immigration changes last month in the Utah Legislature that included enforcement revisions and a guest worker program.
"The leadership in Utah, through the Compact, changed the debate around the country," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Immigration Forum. "It's clear the Compact has struck a chord with the silent majority that wants reform."
Noorani is working with Utah officials to create a national version of the plan, which could be announced as early as this summer.
Opponents say the approach will lead to amnesty programs that only benefit big business and caution it will lead to more illegal immigration...
Wendy Sefsaf, of the Washington, D.C.-based American Immigration Council, also points out another reason for skepticism. Even if the principles are laudable, she said, the results in Utah "did not live up to it" because it will create second-class workers who are not citizens.
Still, Utah does provide a starting point.
"We all have aspirational goals, and the compact has great aspirations," Sefsaf said. "But most states are just reacting. Utah at least tried something that wasn't just about deporting people."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
""
FEDERAL SOLUTIONS Immigration is a federal policy issue between the U.S. government and other countries—not Utah and other countries. We urge Utah’s congressional delegation, and others, to lead efforts to strengthen federal laws and protect our national borders. We urge state leaders to adopt reasonable policies addressing immigrants in Utah.
LAW ENFORCEMENT We respect the rule of law and support law enforcement’s professional judgment and discretion. Local law enforcement resources should focus on criminal activities, not civil violations of federal code.
FAMILIES Strong families are the foundation of successful communities. We oppose policies that unnecessarily separate families. We champion policies that support families and improve the health, education and well-being of all Utah children.
ECONOMY Utah is best served by a free-market philosophy that maximizes individual freedom and opportunity. We acknowledge the economic role immigrants play as workers and taxpayers. Utah’s immigration policies must reaffirm our global reputation as a welcoming and business-friendly state.
A FREE SOCIETY Immigrants are integrated into communities across Utah. We must adopt a humane approach to this reality, reflecting our unique culture, history and spirit of inclusion. The way we treat immigrants will say more about us as a free society and less about our immigrant neighbors. Utah should always be a place that welcomes people of goodwill.
“Liberal immigration activists”
i.e., traitors.
Mormon Church lobbied/pushed this through since most of the Legislature is Mormon. It’s about $$$$$ since most Mormon converts are now Hispanic....
Americans who relocate to Mexico are prohibited from getting citizenship there. Why is she not pining about that?
My own view is that there should be no "path to citizenship" for those who have shown contempt for our laws.
You’re absolutely right. In fact, the LDS church maintains an office INSIDE the state capitol.
The new law is wildly unpopular here amongst citizens, there are plenty of lawsuits being prepared (as most believe it is patently unconstitutional), AND those state reps who voted in favor of it will find some unwelcome competition on the ballot next time ‘round.
I've presented a similar argument to my Representative: Give them an economic incentive to be legal: make it impossible for any person who is illegally within the US to ever achieve US citizenship. If that doesn't clear the problem, start moving out to relatives; i.e., the children, spouses, siblings and parents of any person who is illegally within the US are deemed permanently ineligible to become US citizens.
It seems to me that if I desired citizenship in the US, I would work to keep my less law abiding relatives on the correct side of the border to protect my interests.
Just my 2¢.
Heh. Governors of other states who are interested in exporting their illegals have just found a new destination for those one-way bus tickets.
Ping!
Liberals smelled some $hit and ran towards it. Then they said to themselves, “How can we reproduce this great smell through the fruited plain?”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.