Utah reps take hard look at immigration problem
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1 Comment [ View ]SALT LAKE CITY -- State representatives and senators questioned two U.S. senators Tuesday about what Congress plans to do about immigration.
Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, spoke before the House and Senate Tuesday morning.
"We have some very angry constituents," Rep. Kevin Garn, R-Layton, said to Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah.
"They perceive Congress does not have the ability or the courage to deal with our border problems. It seems Congress cannot get their act together, so we have to deal with difficult policy problems. Please can you give us any hope at all from Congress," Garn said.
Bennett said Congress allocated $4 billion to hire more border guards and then instead of receiving calls and e-mails from constituents saying "thanks," he received calls and e-mails from industry.
"Our crops are rotting in the fields," Bennett said he was being told. "We can't get labor. We can't hire anyone."
Bennett said the immigration issue is complicated and no one wants to "pick up the rattlesnake for the third time."
"Other than continuing to appropriate money to secure our borders, it may be at least five years before we do something," he said.
Hatch said much has already been done to secure the country's borders, but added that progress is unlikely this year because of elections.
"It's pretty political this year, which is something I feel very badly about."
Bennett also lamented a lack of legislative action in a politically charged atmosphere.
"We feel it in the Senate, perhaps more than in any other place, because our members are so involved," he said.
Hatch voted for a bill that would modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The House did not pass the bill, which he said jeopardizes the country.
This story was updated on Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Rep. Garn blasts Sen. Bennett on illegal immigration
SALT LAKE CITY -- Representatives questioned Utah's U.S. senators Tuesday about what Congress plans to do about immigration.
"We have some very angry constituents," said Rep. Kevin Garn, R-Layton to Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah.
"They perceive Congress does not have the ability or the courage to deal with our border problems. It seems Congress cannot get their act together, so we have to deal with difficult policy problems. Please can you give us any hope at all from Congress," Garn said.
Bennett said Congress allocated $4 billion to hire more border guards and then instead of receiving calls and e-mails from constituents saying "thanks," he received calls and e-mails from industry.
For more on this story, see Wednesday's Standard-Examiner.
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It is hard to here a Senator wants to only throw money at this problem.
The illegals are costing us millions and most will not speak english. If business want them let those who hire the illegals pay for there upkeep and not the tax payers. Organ will not give them th right to drive with licenses.
Those who employ them should pay. That will stop there wanting them.