Hurray for Utah's new court

Deseret Morning News editorial
Published: Thursday, June 9, 2005 11:45 p.m. MDT
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The opening this week of a full-time federal immigration court in the Salt Lake area is a culmination of the prodding and urging of many high-ranking officials, and it's a court that is likely going to grow and expand its reach as the influx of illegal aliens continues to Utah. Despite the efforts of so-called Minutemen and others, the flow from the south will continue as long as prosperity looms for disadvantaged people, but that presents a growing list of challenges for Utah .

And so it is wise to set aside a special court devoted to the issues related to this influx.

Many undocumented workers in the state likely look on this as a further threat to their hopes of making a better life for themselves in a nation where money is relatively plentiful. However, the new court likely will allow for swifter justice and more equitable mercy. Unlike in many nations to the south, justice here is not arbitrary, and it also is not soulless. As an official with the American Immigration Lawyers Association said, the court will at least allow illegals reasonable time to settle personal affairs before leaving the country voluntarily.

Justice is more likely to prevail when defendants can stand before a judge in Utah, rather than meet with one in Denver via a video conference. And with the number of immigration cases having more than doubled over the past five years, according to some estimates, the need for such a court here is obvious.

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The issues surrounding illegal immigration are many, and they seem to be growing more complicated all the time. As the Associated Press reported recently, the biggest issue facing many states is what to do with the children of illegals who are born in the United States and who are, according to the Constitution, U.S. citizens. A report estimates that 22 percent of children 6 or younger in the United States have parents who are immigrants, and nearly one-third of them have at least one parent who is an illegal alien.

Handling such problems — does one deport a parent but not the child? — creates difficult situations best handled by judges who specialize in immigration cases.

Ultimately, Congress and the president need to find long-term solutions to these vexing issues, even as they find more effective ways to handle a porous and dangerous border with Mexico.

In the meantime, however, having an immigration court will help Utah as well as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement people here deal more effectively with the problems that exist. The ICE can now shuttle along time-consuming appeals and decisions and open up more time to deal with more pressing problems.

Sen. Orrin Hatch deserves much of the credit for making Utah's immigration court a reality. It should make the state more safe and secure.

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