Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Richard Piatt ReportingA conservative group called 'Utahns for Immigration Reform and Enforcement' is taking on illegal aliens in Utah.
Today they announced a list of ways they'd like to crack down on immigrants to keep Utah from being an 'easy' way to stay in this country illegally.
This group is tied with a national group called the Federation for American Immigration Reform. They are also paying for television ads to urge both state legislatures and Congress to crack down on illegal immigration.
Ad: "... Millions still overwhelm our immigration system. Call congress. Tell them to go for a time out on immigration."
Sharply worded TV ads are running frequently across the nation these days to address what the sponsor says is a costly problem.
Susan Tully, Federation for American Immigration Reform: “When you can't control that population you will never have control over what that's going to cost us."
This is how most people think of illegal immigrants: people who are occasionally caught, handcuffed and shipped out of the US.
But the reality is thousands are not arrested; instead they're working in restaurants, as janitors, field workers, in factories and more.
That's why Hispanic leaders advocate on behalf of reform in the system to speed up legal immigration and enforce the law fairly.
Robert Gallegos, Raz Pack: "We have to realize that the economy is dependent on the migrant worker."
But the newly formed 'Utahns for Immigration Reform and Enforcement' has other concerns in addition to social service costs. One is security. The group is pushing to make it harder for illegals to get ID cards and impossible to get Utah driver's licenses.
Mike Sizer, Utahns for Immigration Reform and Enforcement: "They [terrorists] were able to obtain driver's licenses very easily. And I think we are setting ourselves up in Utah for the same problem. Will the next terrorist have a Utah driver's license?"
Some say this group is racist targeting Mexican illegals. But one legal immigrant says it's an issue of fairness.
Alma Morales, Legal Immigrant: "I don't think it's fair for people just to come in here and they're illegal and they're entitled to all these benefits. I mean where's the fairness?"
The group is planning to lobby the Utah legislature next session, pushing for changes to the way the state issues driver's licenses.
