Letter to the Editor.

To The Herald Journal editor:

In response Sunday’s article, “Feds asked to act on list,” there are a few things I read which make me feel like I’m taking crazy pills. First, I’d like to make it clear, that by no means, do I agree with, nor support, the illegal release of the name list, which consisted of 1,300 alleged illegal immigrants in Utah. However, peoples’ reaction to it–Glenn Bailey for instance–boggles my mind. Bailey is quoted as saying, “Nobody is going to apply for these programs if there is a risk they will be publicly shammed and embarrassed for it.” And later, when the author said, “The public release of the list created panic among many in the Hispanic community, who feared they would be unfairly targeted by immigration officials.”

We are blessed to live in a country which accepts all races and cultures. A country of opportunity, driven by its people and their will to succeed. But there is one catch: you must be a legal citizen. Is that a catch though? No, it’s a law. A law that protects the country and it’s people’s rights and privileges. No one is barred from being a citizen and it stands to reason that to work here and live here and benefit from our great nation, that you must be a legal part of it–which anyone can be. So why are we so worried about protecting those who come here illegally? Those who use programs–illegally–which are created to help Americans who have fallen on hard times and cannot support themselves? It seems to me that if someone is living here illegally and partaking of programs–which working American citizens pay for–they, the illegal immigrants, are the ones who should be shammed and embarrassed for doing so, not for getting caught red-handed.

And “unfairly targeted by immigration officials?” Really? Is it unfair to be deported to your country of origin if you are living somewhere illegally? No. Wake up America! What is the debate about? The better question is, “Why is there a debate over illegal immigrants and their status at all?” Have people forgotten what the word illegal means, and what laws are? The longer our great nation goes without tightening up on immigration issues, the more we hurt ourselves and our own people who need special assistance. If I went to another country, lived and worked there illegally and abused their goodwill, it wouldn’t be looked highly upon. It’s not prejudice, it’s logic. It’s law.

To all: come to America, live here, work here, love here. But please, do it legally.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Wilkins

Logan, UT.