Who Could Have Guessed?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Gosh. Who could have guessed this could happen given collective freak-out about immigrants?
SALT LAKE CITY – State agencies are investigating whether any of their employees leaked Social Security numbers and other personal information after a list of 1,300 people who an anonymous group claims are illegal immigrants was circulated around Utah.A group of
The anonymous group mailed the list to several media outlets, law enforcement agencies and others this week, frightening the state's Hispanic community. A letter accompanying the list demanded that those on it be deported immediately.
The list also contains highly detailed personal information such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, workplaces, addresses and phone numbers. Names of children are included, along with due dates of pregnant women on the list.[emphasis added]
IMO, this is the kind of stuff that the Arizona law, and support for it, leads to. There are people who are predisposed towards personalizing the type of political statement made by laws similar to that one. They take the "it's our only option to meaningfully control illegal immigration" line and make it their vigilante cause because "the gubment just ain't doing enuf. Also, too, Obama's a socialist."
And now this same "gubment" is in the untenable position of possibly having to defend lives because the names of kids and pregnant women's due dates have been published. I recognize that this list was "only sent" to government agencies so they could act on it...but the problem is that some group of dangerous vigilantes also has this list. What are they going to do with that list when the government fails to apprehend everyone on this list that the shadowy group has deemed ought to be? It's clear, in fact, in the quote from Utah Immigration and Customs Enforcement, that they probably won't:
"As a matter of policy, we don't confirm we are investigating an allegation or possible violation unless the inquiry results in some type of public enforcement action," [Agency spokeswoman Virginia] Kice said.Just for added measure:
She noted that because ICE has finite resources, it focuses its efforts "first on those dangerous convicted criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, not sweeps or raids to target undocumented immigrants indiscriminately[emphasis added]."
"My phone has been ringing nonstop since this morning with people finding out they're on the list," said Tony Yapias, former director of the Utah Office of Hispanic Affairs. "They're feeling terrorized. They're very scared."Gee, why? I mean, if they're truly legal, then what do they have to worry about? Certainly some gun-crazed self-proclaimed investigator won't kick down their door, demand proof, and hurt anyone, would they? Or send them threatening letters in their mailboxes? Or threaten their unborn children? Or harass their kids at school?
10 comments:
I saw this too.
I read the comments from all the crazies at the Utah newspaper who reported this story. Of course, they all jumped to the conclusion that these people were all actually illegal, which likely is'nt the case considering they all have social security numbers. To get a Soc., one must be legal at least at the time they applied.
Next thing that will happen ios some vigilante group will take matters into their own hands making the assumption they are all illegal.
Next thing that will happen ios some vigilante group will take matters into their own hands making the assumption they are all illegal.
That's exactly what I'm worried about. "The government isn't acting the way I think they should because I think they are illegal regardless of what the government says, so I'm gonna go gitum."
Hopefully cooler heads prevail, but I see less and less evidence of that every day.
IF YOU ARE A REAL AMERICAN DO YOUR DUTY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TAKE YOUR COUNTRY BACK
Just one of the well-constructed comments. Not unhinged at all. Certainly written by someone with a clear, level head.
I have heard that illegals are a big deal in Utah, but I am not really sure why. In addition to being a mostly dry (i.e. no beer/alcohol) state, now this. This remains a state I don't care if I ever visit.
I will have to poke around, but I read a few articles that show crime in the border states is not up and that it actually fairly safe there. The so-called problem is just bullshit fearmongering to win votes. I am all for comprehensive immigration reform, but this is just nuts.
Well this is just fucked. Last time a group of people were asked for their papers and rounded up based on their responses, it didn't end so goddamn well.
One way or the other, whitey is going to be the minority in the country within a decade or two. It's just a matter of how much damage we do on the way out.
"It's just a matter of how much damage we do on the way out.
Speak for yourself cracker. This white guy doesn't care if he is in the minority.
Utah has some fantastic skiing, but beyond that, I don't recommend it. Heard this story on NPR yesterday and they also sent those lists to local newspapers hoping they would publish them. This is, as Rickey says, just fucked. And as Steve notes, pure fear mongering.
Oh, and Steve, it isn't a dry state, though I am sure there are dry pockets. There is a brewpub in Salt Lake city that has a pretty decent Polygamy Porter. :)
Oh, but I should note that you do have to buy liquor (or beer) from a state owned liquor store. Really weird state, and that is coming from someone who has lived in Oklahoma for the last 18 years.
I stand corrected. Pennsylvania has some pretty weird laws regarding booze, too.
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