Governor Plans to Veto Two Immigration Bills

Feb 21, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

One Would Repeal In-State Tuition, One Would Invalidate Driver Privilege Cards

(KCPW News) It appears Republican Representative Glenn Donnelson may have wasted his time pushing two bills that would restrict the privileges of illegal immigrants this session, because Governor Jon Huntsman plans to veto them if they pass the Senate. In a press conference today, the governor said he wants to keep in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants, and he wants to keep the driver privilege card.

"Taking tuition away from kids who had no say over their journey in live, being punished, essentially, for decisions by their parents, I think is not appropriate," he said. "The driver privilege card was instituted for a reason three or four years ago."

Governor Huntsman says the legislature should instead create a task force to consider immigration policy. He believes the federal government will reform immigration laws after the presidential election, so Utah should not create its own laws that could later be invalidated.

Congressman Jim Matheson seems to agree with the governor's position. Speaking on KCPW's Midday Metro today, he said Congress should have passed comprehensive immigration reform last year.

"There's no one in this country who thinks our current set of immigration laws and regulations is functioning. Everyone would say it's dysfunctional," said Matheson. "I'm not here to make excuses, in fact I think it's really unfortunate that Congress has not taken on this issue."

Matheson thinks the federal government should start by allowing more temporary workers into the country. He says the current cap on temporary visas is too low to meet demand.

1. Bobby said:

Well, if you folks actually believe that these corporate shills we have in every stated in the United States are looking out for your best interests as citizen of those states--have at it. Give complete control to them and kick back and enjoy. Not what the founding fathers thought that Americans should do, but I guess it's late in the day, anyway.

2. levotb said:

What Rep. Matheson says is a cop-out and he knows it. Trying to blame Congress and not take care of the major problem in his state/district himself is wimpy at best and malfeasance at worst.

Gov. Huntsman should be recalled or forced out of office. How can Utahans stand for such corruption?

3. m said:

Kick the Governer out of office! overide the veto!

4. Jose Pedro Guzman said:

Huntsman should be commended for his statesmanship and for not falling for the threats of these racist extortionists.

5. rick said:

Gee JOSE why am I NOT SURPRISED at YOUR comment?

6. Bobby said:

One last comment, please, Share what is going on with your relatives and friends and make them understand the evil people behind the open borders movement. MOVEMENT?? Absolutely. It is a movement, an organized insidious movement involving churches, political action commitees, racist ethnic interest groups and businesses. Let's take them one by one.

Is it really any wonder why churches want increased immigration when attendance and therefore contributions are down?

Political action commitees want immigration for all kinds of reasons. University tuition from rich foreign students, groups that are racist toward the traditional European population and therefore seek to lessen its influence, treaties made with other countries to accept refugees,etc.

Racist ethnic interest groups like LA RAZA, MECHA, LULAC, etc. who push for unlimited immigration for hispanics mostyly Mexicans,and chain migration for all family members. Millions upon millions of people at a time our economy is shot, and Americans are going to have to pay for many of these peoples social services, when Americans can hardly pay their own bills.

Then businesses, is there any myster involved with why businesses want umlimited cheap labor? "I'll do the job for twenty, "over here, I'll do the job for ten,"no I'll do it for five bucks an hour. That is the dream senario for business.

It's all up to the citizenry, whether we change into an environmentally polluted third world nation with little opportunity and constant social strife because of millions of unassimilated people. Article after article, for years have been making the above points, but our "leaders" will not listen to the American citizenry, and are in fact, utterly in criminal violation of not doing their duties in insisting that existing immigration law be enforced.

7. Larry said:

Not offering illegal aliens in-state tuition is NOT PUNISHMENT!It is WITHHOLDING A REWARD!What kind of idiot is this guy???

8. Raymond said:

Californians managed to get rid of governor Gray Davis over licenses for illegal aliens.We can get rid of Huntsman ...Who wants to start the recall?

9. Cindy said:

I think you all need to get over yourselves and see beyond the picture. It is so frustrating to read these comments when none of you know what you are talking about. You need to get over your prejudices against Mexicans and realize immigration affects people from other countries too.

The United States has a history of "brotherly love" and always wants to be the first one to aid a country "in need", isn't that one of the reasons why we are still in Iraq? Then if we are so eager to help everybody, why don't we start with those who are living right here? With those who are already here and begging for a better life.

Immigrants are not taking jobs from anybody, if you disagree with me just take a drive downtown and see how many homeless are sleeping around when they are perfectly capable of finding a job and surviving on their own, I know plenty of restaurants who are now hiring! But off course, it's so much easier to just get help from the government and then blame the immigrants.

For all of those who think we should just pack up every immigrant and send them home, stop and think about what you are proposing. I agree that those who have committed crimes need to go, but what you need to understand is that just because they are in the country illegally it doesn’t mean they are criminals. As the chief of police Burbank said "they committed a civil violation and not a criminal infraction".

10. Rick Hickey said:

"There's no one in this country who thinks our current set of immigration laws and regulations is functioning. Everyone would say it's dysfunctional," said Matheson.

The only thing wrong with our Immigration system is that no one is ENFORCING the LAW!

We have 8 guest worker programs allowing over 600,000 to come here to work every year, as well as 700,000 immigrants granted U.S. citizenship, as well as another 1.3 Million given Permanent Resident status. Not including the 33 Million Temp Visas issues as well, every year.

Why do we NEVER read these facts from Politicians or from the Media? hmmm.uscis.gov - look for Immigration FACT Book 2006.

This Gov. and Matheson hope you are STUPID & should be fired.RACIST JOSE, Go home and fix YOUR Nations problems and in the process, eliminate many of OURS.

11. Bobby said:

To Cindy, California is 14to 16 Billions!! dollars in debt. It used to be a State that gave back taxes to people. It has half of the illegal alien population of the U.S. It used to be a State where jobs went begging, but yesterday ,if you care to check it out, the MSN front page had an employment rating for States. Those where jobs might be found those that you most likely won't find any. California is in the most likely you won't find any category. UNLESS, MAYBE YOU SPEAK SPANISH, WHICH IS REQUIREMENT IN 50or more percent of the jobs in the newspaper classifieds section. DREAM ON CINDY!!

12. Jasper said:

Cindy said:"For all of those who think we should just pack up every immigrant and send them home, stop and think about what you are proposing. I agree that those who have committed crimes need to go, but what you need to understand is that just because they are in the country illegally it doesn’t mean they are criminals. As the chief of police Burbank said "they committed a civil violation and not a criminal infraction"."

Just about every illegal has committed one or more crimes. These include ID theft, document fraud, counterfeiting (of documents), Social Security fraud, welfare fraud, food stamp fraud, conspiracy to violate federal immigration laws, income tax evasion, driving without a license, etc.

13. Cindy said:

Well, Bobby, don't you think then that it would be a good time for the US to get rid of their phobia of Spanish? We are one of the few first world countries that are still monolingual. In almost every European country people speak 2 or more languages while we Americans want to stay on top requesting that the entire world speak English for our sake.

Regarding jobs, you really think that if we kick all immigrants out it would fix California's problem?? hahaha DREAM ON!!!!

I'm done with this. It's pointless arguing with those who can get out of their little bubble.

14. Annelisa said:

Good for Huntsman.

15. Bobby said:

Those who can't get out of their bubble would be you. Utterly CLUELESS about what is going on in presumably, Your nation. You probably haven't been ten miles from where you wer born. Go back to sleep.

16. Floyd said:

Kudos to Huntsman for taking a moral stand.

17. CJC said:

"However, Oklahoma Sen. Harry Coates, a Republican, said he would warn Utah lawmakers to reconsider supporting what he called a "mean-spirited" bill. "If they think anything about their morals or their business people, they will kill that bill pronto," Coates said. "It's an awful law. . . . It just says if you look different and don't speak English, we don't want you here."

"Mean-spirited?" "Morals?"

Why do these comments only apply to U.S. citizens? The citizens of the great state of Utah are subsidizing illegal slave labor for business and then legislators hope to quell the righteous indignation by calling us "racists". Businesses are very anxious to have slave labor all the while undercutting the wages of decent Americans.

Where are the legislators', Governor's, and business's morals when it comes to wage suppression of American workers? Oh, yeah, Americans don't matter anymore, do they?

The people of Utah apparently have no value to the governor of Utah...Just useful idiots subsidizing illegal aliens for business. And, they have the nerve to call Utah citizens "immoral" because they complain about their wages being undercut by illegal aliens.

The governor of Utah is a disturbed man. This is so sad!!! What happened to Americans first???

18. Sis said:

4. Jose Pedro Guzman said:Huntsman should be commended for his statesmanship and for not falling for the threats of these racist extortionists.

Mr. Guzman.......it would appear that either you &/or your extended family are members of the largest underground welfare state in the history of our USA. Those very folks who are happy to be on the receiving end of 'redistributed wealth' - the American Tax $$$.

It is also obvious that your understanding of 'statesmanship' is sorely lacking.

Furthermore, it would benefit you to read the U.S. Constitution in order that you familiarize yourself with our Founders wisdom. By doing so, you will then begin to understand that wherever there is a DEPENDENT mass of people, human nature is such that it sucks the creativity and will out of those very people, leaving a mere shell devoid of intelligent thought and desire to progress on one's own steam.

The main problem with mass immigration of a 3rd world, uneducated group into any nation is that they 'create that which they ran from.'

Sound familiar?

From lawlessness comes lawlessness.

19. Bobby said:

Hey in todays America, anyone, like Huntsman for example, who stands up for foreign nationals, even if it is against and it is, existing immigration law--is a MAN OF INTEGRITY.

20. Bobby said:

Sis, the most relevant statement you mad among many was that illegal immigration is a "redistribution of wealth" scheme. That is exactly what it is. Especially immigration from the third world. But some of the liberal COMRADES on this blog like it that way, because as all of those who basically have a communist/socialist bent, it's easy to dream of utopia("no place")--on a full stomach.

21. nwkerr2005 said:

I am shocked that a Republican governor is selling out the soveriegnty of our state and country for future votes. I am all for recalling the governor. I am in northern California right now. If you want to see what lax immigration laws have done to a state, come here. We are in debt billions, way overcrowded, my family cannot get even minimum wage jobs because they do not know spanish and the customer base here is almost all spanish now, schools are crime ridden and over crowded (even in the rich areas), streets are jammed, every building almost is graffitied, and the list goes on. Good luck Utah!