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Immigration Reform on Tuesday's Access Utah

bbbimmigration.org

U. S. House Republican Leaders recently outlined principles they believe should be followed in any overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws.  This has raised hopes that immigration reform might move forward in Congress. What you think: Path to citizenship? Increased border security? What’s needed most? Or should this issue not be a priority? Do you have a personal experience or concern regarding immigration? We’ll be talking to members of the group: Bibles Badges and Business for Immigration Reform, Pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Steve Klemz and Immigration Attorney Timothy Wheelwright.

    

Response from our listeners:

Here's a liberal view that you wouldn't expect.

"Where in this discussion is there any mention of the millions of American Citizens who have been forced out of a job by illegals from Mexico and So. America  --- Where is the discussion of the loss of income and the loss of living standards that US citizens have fought for over the past 150 years. Immigration and since WW I illegal immigration has been used to fight against US citizens who were and are the unionized and well paid workers who contribute a steady stream to the American economy and its upwardly mobile middle class. We are killing the middle-class -- and we are doing it in a very divisive way -- and this is killing the US economy - a capitalist economy, dependent on a middle class who spend money here and not back in Mexico. So who's economy do you support? Mexico's? Or the USA's?"-- J.D. Wolfe

 

JDW responds to your bleeding heart conservative:

"Lets take the example of a fellow whom we will call Dimitri (he's from Greece! And a friend of mine for nearly 20 years.) He came to the U.S. on scholarship and got his Ph.D at UC Berkeley in the 1990's -- he also worked in a research program for five years while getting his Ph.D. as soon as he graduated he started working at VSLI in California and within months the U.S. kicked  him out, refusing his request for citizenship. Dimitri told me he was going to use his Ph.D to clean latrines for the next two years in the Greek Air Force! I did suggest he change his name to Jose and not tell anyone about his PhD and his excellent academic work, not to mention his excellent fluency in four languages, the jobs went over-seas because of corporate greed for higher profits and not any concern for workers in other countries."-- J.D. Wolfe

I lived in South Florida for 25+ years.

"I learned fluent Spanish. I got engaged to a man from Cuba. I worked at a non-profit called Latinos In Action that claims to want to help Hispanic students do better in academia. In other words, I have a lot of direct experience with various Hispanic people and communities. I can tell you that Hispanic cultures have a "clique-y" nature. For example, nepotism is embraced. The result is Hispanic groups only caring about their small group and being unwilling to care about larger groups (say the greater American community they could belong to), as well as supporting someone popular for a position even if they aren't qualified. Furthermore "machismo" (sexism basically) is rampant. Part of this likely stems from Spanish itself being a gendered language (several studies show that gendered language speakers tend to be more sexist). A Hispanic majority means unqualified people in power, the needs and rights of non-Hispanic groups being ignored, and a step back for women. I can't tell you how many times I have been passed over for opportunities in Miami or even here (in LIA) because I wasn't Cuban or because I was a woman. I used to support immigration as part of America's heritage and identity, because of its economic benefits, and because in some cases, it's the merciful thing to do. However, now I am 100% against immigration and think we should take steps to deport some Hispanic immigrants that are already here in various states of legality. If you want to live in this nation and enjoy its benefits, you should see yourself as part of the greater whole of this nation. You should want your children AND non-Hispanic children to succeed (etc). You should support people and policies that are best for THIS nation, not the one that you left. And the sexism has to go. Women have fought hard enough to get this far and we still don't get paid equally for equal work (etc). Hispanic people should work on improving their own nations. I know that's a big, complicated, and hard task, and I acknowledge that some of Latin America's issues stem from Roosevelt's economic imperialism. But look at our nation right now. Our government is at best ineffectual. People are struggling to have access to doctors, education, or even basic jobs. We are crushed with debt with little to no hope in sight. We have to take care of ourselves. We don't need people here who don't want what's best for the whole American community and who are eating up resources (most immigrants need help when they first arrive, etc.). We don't need them to bring the social problems of Latin America (nepotism, machismo, etc) here to add them to all the problems we already have. Close the borders to most immigration. Deport illegal immigrants as humanely as possible. Streamline the remaining legal immigration process (less "bs" and no special allowances for Cubans - many countries have it far worse than Cuba). That's it."-- Jennifer Hawkins

Tom Williams worked as a part-time UPR announcer for a few years and joined Utah Public Radio full-time in 1996. He is a proud graduate of Uintah High School in Vernal and Utah State University (B. A. in Liberal Arts and Master of Business Administration.) He grew up in a family that regularly discussed everything from opera to religion to politics. He is interested in just about everything and loves to engage people in conversation, so you could say he has found the perfect job as host “Access Utah.” He and his wife Becky, live in Logan.