Sunday, March 15, 2009
Success for whom?
The recent Utah legislative sessions are seen as both a success and failure in the immigration forums, depending on where you might stand. Take a look at some of the recent action. Some of the unpassed (succesful or unsuccessful) bills ..."include scrapping the state's driving privilege card, requiring undocumented students receiving in-state tuition to sign an affidavit swearing they haven't and won't work while in college and one forcing business-license applicants to prove their citizenship." The question is what are the successful bills, and especially how do these bills affect families? Some business owners may not be able to support their families, some would argue that too many citizen families are supporting immigrants. Students attending school in Utah without documentation could help them and their families out of poverty, where most crime stems. How will having or not having a valid driver's license affect families and what are some unconsidered consequences of the action? What do you think?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Self De"fence" or Self Righteous?
This Rancher took the law in his own hands. Should he have the right to do so? Should he be sued in civil court? Should he be prosecuted?
Here is a similar example...A reservist in Arizona employed his right to "citizen's arrest" when he encountered 7 illegal immigrants. I think a simple phone call would do. It may be different when people are invading your property, home, or trespassing. There are differences and depending on the state. In Texas you can shoot someone breaking into your car, while some states say that you must be threatened in some way, or they must be trying to break into your home. Is there a difference between driving on the freeway, trespassing on your property, or breaking in? Also a citizen's arrest is for a felony. This will be an explanation in a future friendly neighborhood blog.
Here is a similar example...A reservist in Arizona employed his right to "citizen's arrest" when he encountered 7 illegal immigrants. I think a simple phone call would do. It may be different when people are invading your property, home, or trespassing. There are differences and depending on the state. In Texas you can shoot someone breaking into your car, while some states say that you must be threatened in some way, or they must be trying to break into your home. Is there a difference between driving on the freeway, trespassing on your property, or breaking in? Also a citizen's arrest is for a felony. This will be an explanation in a future friendly neighborhood blog.
Minute Men
There is a "grassroots movement" of the concerned camp to "watch" the borders for illegal immigrants. If they spot people crossing the border they call the border patrol. I can see from the name of the group, they are acting in ways they consider patriotic. I think it adds to the sentiment of many that the USA should close or more tightly monitor the borders. The Homeland Security and after effects from 9/11 have certainly brought this issue to a boiling point. The current and past administrations actually seem to agree that the border needs to be better protected.
What do you think? See the article posted on the minute men website...http://www.minutemanborderfence.com/
What do you think? See the article posted on the minute men website...http://www.minutemanborderfence.com/
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Bush Vs Obama on Immigration
Take a look at these "opposing" plans on immigration reform...Bush said for years that we need reform and now Obama http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/immigration/ is saying just about the exact same thing.
Secure the borders-I think there is some Homeland Security at stake here
Reform the system, allow workers we need with skills we need to enter legally
do something about the 12 million here now, help them become legal and more productive citizens.
I don't know what else we can do, either way it is not an easy issue.
What else could be done?
Secure the borders-I think there is some Homeland Security at stake here
Reform the system, allow workers we need with skills we need to enter legally
do something about the 12 million here now, help them become legal and more productive citizens.
I don't know what else we can do, either way it is not an easy issue.
What else could be done?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
There are a few bills proposed right now in the Utah Legislature that have effects on immigration, families, and our communities. SB81 is a bill designed to require companies that contract with the state to verify immigration status of employees and would allow for local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law. The bill was passed into law last year and is set to take effect on July 1st of this year. Representative Stephen Clark from Utah County has suggested a bill that would postpone the implementation of this bill and fund research to assess the impacts of the implementation of SB81. The study’s design is intended to see the fiscal impacts of immigration in five, ten, and twenty-five years.
There is also another proposed that would take away driving priveleges as of Dec 31st 2009 of all undocumented immigrants. There are many effects that these could have.
I would at least like to see the impact research be done before we make any laws or policies. A few years ago there was a bill designed to do the same thing as Representative Clark is suggesting, that we study the economic impact to decide how much immigration is hurting or helping our economy. It didn't go through but has been proposed again. I know there are many arguments for and against immigration, and I know that something needs to be done, but before we throw the baby out with the bathwater maybe we should look at the cost and benefits.
There is also another proposed that would take away driving priveleges as of Dec 31st 2009 of all undocumented immigrants. There are many effects that these could have.
I would at least like to see the impact research be done before we make any laws or policies. A few years ago there was a bill designed to do the same thing as Representative Clark is suggesting, that we study the economic impact to decide how much immigration is hurting or helping our economy. It didn't go through but has been proposed again. I know there are many arguments for and against immigration, and I know that something needs to be done, but before we throw the baby out with the bathwater maybe we should look at the cost and benefits.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Aren't we all immigrants?
I have decided to blog about immigration. I understand that immigration has many opposing views and can polarize groups very quickly. At least here in the United States, this is an important and increasingly difficult issue.
The thought I would like to begin with is that unless we are of Native American stock, we are all immigrants to this country. We are a relatively young country and most of us can trace our roots to other countries. A question I would like to ask is what is your heritage? Where does your family get its roots? Do you have a story? I think each of us has a story. Sometimes we are very aware of that story or our ethnic background and sometimes we are not. For some it is more important than others. Try to trace your roots if you don't know. Ask a family member about how and why your family came to be "American."
You probably don't care but I will share a little about my family and you are invited to share a little about yours as well. Most of us have some pride about who we are and rightly so. We should, in my opinion, be aware and proud of our heritage and I think we have a responsibility to keep the story alive. My father is Estonian, he was born in Estonia and fled the Soviet invasion (WWII) as a young child (5 years old) with his parents and younger sister. He was raised in Sweden and after he attended college in Sweden he came to the United States. His family left Sweden as he was beginning college. They had waited 12 years for visas to the United States. My mothers' family is from England, I honestly don't know when they came to the United States. I know that we have family that was here during the revolutionary war. I ought to learn more about it. What about your family? What do you know about it?
As far as policy goes, I am no expert. I do know that immigration affects families. Immigration also includes emmigration. The coming to a counrty inlcudes leaving a country. There are parts of families left in homelands. Sometimes families are torn apart and or united by immigration.
New languages, employment, cultural differences, are some of many difficulties immigration includes. There are also difficulties for the culture or society that recieves immigrants; school districts, hospitals, governments, and programs that affect families. At the same time, there are also benefits. Obviously, for the family there are benefits or it seems they would not make the decision to come, but the are also benefits for the country accepting the immigration.
The thought I would like to begin with is that unless we are of Native American stock, we are all immigrants to this country. We are a relatively young country and most of us can trace our roots to other countries. A question I would like to ask is what is your heritage? Where does your family get its roots? Do you have a story? I think each of us has a story. Sometimes we are very aware of that story or our ethnic background and sometimes we are not. For some it is more important than others. Try to trace your roots if you don't know. Ask a family member about how and why your family came to be "American."
You probably don't care but I will share a little about my family and you are invited to share a little about yours as well. Most of us have some pride about who we are and rightly so. We should, in my opinion, be aware and proud of our heritage and I think we have a responsibility to keep the story alive. My father is Estonian, he was born in Estonia and fled the Soviet invasion (WWII) as a young child (5 years old) with his parents and younger sister. He was raised in Sweden and after he attended college in Sweden he came to the United States. His family left Sweden as he was beginning college. They had waited 12 years for visas to the United States. My mothers' family is from England, I honestly don't know when they came to the United States. I know that we have family that was here during the revolutionary war. I ought to learn more about it. What about your family? What do you know about it?
As far as policy goes, I am no expert. I do know that immigration affects families. Immigration also includes emmigration. The coming to a counrty inlcudes leaving a country. There are parts of families left in homelands. Sometimes families are torn apart and or united by immigration.
New languages, employment, cultural differences, are some of many difficulties immigration includes. There are also difficulties for the culture or society that recieves immigrants; school districts, hospitals, governments, and programs that affect families. At the same time, there are also benefits. Obviously, for the family there are benefits or it seems they would not make the decision to come, but the are also benefits for the country accepting the immigration.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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