Bush Tried to reform Immigration in 2004, 06, and 07

This is a federal issue that needs to be reformed. There is at least recognition that something needs to be done. States, including Utah with SB 81, are coming up with ineffective and vastly different ways of dealing with immigration. There needs to be a comprehensive overhaul. Perhaps a compromise from both the concerned and the impatient and sanguine camps might include, a better controlled border and a more navegable guest worker program, and the letting the families here become temporary workers to come out of the shadows. I don't know the answer, but something needs to be done.

Splitting up of families of US born Natural Citizens

This woman (undocumented worker) lost her son because the judge couldn't (or wouldn't) find a way for her to keep her family in tact. While she is encarcerated, her son was adopted to another family. It seems to me that the judge deemed the family was not good enough. If we can find a way for Elian Gonazales (not a US citizen) to be peacefully and rightfully reunited with family, how come we can't do the same for a US citizen? There had to be some family member somewhere in the world willing to help until mom got out of encarceration, or some foster situation that could have worked out. These are some of the unintended or unconsidered consequences of sending undocumented workers home without their children, at least let them gather their family and keep the family together. If she gets her son back, he may not speak the same language. It could drag on for years in appeals, that does no good for immigration, the child, and either family after fighting over the child who will have been raised in at least two families, no one wins.

Community Meeting in Logan about SB 81

500 Logan area families gathered to ask questions to an attourney about SB 81. There were a couple of misconceptions about the newly passed law.
1. That driving an illegal immigrant to the store, or giving them a ride would not be illegal.
Only if the driving is motivated by money (charged a fee) or over 100 miles of travlling.

2. That local law enforcement can arrest someone just for being here without documentation.
Only if they commit a crime or are already in the correctional system. That doesn't seem too different from current protocal. Law enforcement does not have "federal jurisdiction" all of the sudden. Check out the article in the Herald Journal.

Shooting in New York

While we really don't know a motive in the shooting at the community center in New York serving immigrants, I just feel it is appropriate to post this article. I think we will find out more as the investigations continue. What a tragedy. The shooter was also from out of the country. I wonder about how we are really assimilating or accomodating newcomers in our communities.

Immigration Gumballs

Do we use immigration to help the developing countries or to help the US?
This video gives some interesting insights from the concerned view.
How do we help those populations?

Diveristy in the classroom

Typically, we wil see immigration trends in the classroom first.
This is another interactive tool to see diversity trends across the country's schools.
Check out your homestate, Utah, or any other.

Immigration trends from 1880-present

Immigration to the US from which countries. This is a fun little map that lets you see the immigration trends since 1880. You can pick a country and see when and where they have immigrated to and what the trends are for these populations. You might even find your own anscestors' timeline or heritage. Check it out. It's all in good fun.

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?

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.

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/

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?

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.

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.

Welcome to the online revolution

Hello everyone, welcome to my humble blog.