by Ann Herron

GUEST COLUMNIST

If you have kept up on the legislative news, you probably already have an opinion about Senate Bill 81 and other immigration debates around the nation.

If not, you should become informed on immigration issues as a way of being a good citizen -- particularly since citizenship is what the current debate is all about.

Among other provisions, Senate Bill 81 makes it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly rent housing to an illegal immigrant. It would also require public employers and others to verify the work eligibility of new employees.

This bill is a bad idea that ignores larger issues in an attempt to "do something" and pacify those shouting for some means of control over immigration. It would require huge amounts of public time and money to verify all that information. And what good is a "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward renters?

It is completely fair that we ask people who come to our country to follow legal channels. And it is only fair to those of us already here that they not be criminals, or engage in criminal behavior.

It would also be completely fair to consider the past, when your own family came to the United States. Not counting the first citizens -- the Native American peoples -- we are all immigrants. At one point, your ancestors showed up in this country, willing to work hard and sacrifice a lot to better their future and provide opportunities for their children.

Our ancestors, who today would be called illegal aliens, did work hard. Over the years, they were eventually granted citizenship. They studied the laws, civics and language of our nation and made themselves Americans.

It is estimated there are 12 million people in the United States illegally. More than 8 million of those often-illegal workers have IRS individual tax ID numbers. This makes them eligible to pay taxes -- a big part of what we consider citizenship to be today.

What is fair in the current debate? Times have certainly changed. But we remain a nation of immigrants. New citizens with their energy and enthusiasm make our country stronger.

We need dramatic reform in this area. But let's not forget that we are all here because someone gave us a chance.

Ann Herron is a journalist and former associate professor at Utah State University who lives in Tooele. She can be reached at annherron@comcast.net.