Editorial: Immigration Reform Heads in More Sensible Direction

Deseret News

Editorial

Utah is deporting fewer people, and that’s a good thing.

In 2012, requests for deportation were down by 25 percent from 2011, and current trends predict a similar downturn this year. Scarce resources in the judicial system account for some of this, but there are other factors at work that suggest a more pragmatic approach to immigration going forward.

It’s worth noting that one of the reasons fewer people are being deported is that there are fewer illegal immigrants to deport. The vast majority of people who enter the country illegally are doing so to improve their personal circumstances, and the wobbly recovery has dried up the economic incentives that enticed border crossers in years past. Our immigration system ought to include avenues to accommodate those who want to cross our borders simply to seek a better life. Harsh remedies like deportation ought to be reserved for those who enter the country illegally with more nefarious purposes in mind.

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