Editor:

I appreciate a healthy outcropping of correspondence in response to the article (“Leg. tables bill that would repeal illegal-immigrant law,” Feb. 14).

However Kenny Williams’ letter, (“Illegal immigration must be curbed,” Feb. 16) claims that (illegal) immigration is having “a staggering effect on all of us, especially on the cost of education.”

I feel that his comment is vague, lacking any sort of evidence, unfounded and quite frankly ignorant! The “staggering effect” is especially vague.

Immigrant labor is vital to our economy, as immigrants and refugees perform migrant and manual labor that sustain “all of us” and our American standard of living.

As for the “cost of education,” I am not really sure what Williams is driving at due to the vague nature of his letter. I can assume he believes somehow (illegal) immigrants are to blame for the rising cost of education due to inflation. Thus Williams believes there is a direct correlation between inflation and (illegal) immigrants in Utah seeking higher education.

I suggest Williams take a good look at the policies of the current Republican administration, which is sitting by idly as jobs, such as call center jobs with Delta Airlines and Earthlink, are being lost to overseas markets in southeast Asian countries, and then tell me why there is a rise in inflation. I suggest that Williams listen to National Public Radio once in a while.

H.B. 144, a current law that allows children of illegal immigrants to obtain higher education while paying resident tuition, helps students who deserve a better education, even though they may not currently be citizens.

This land was built by immigrant-both legal and illegal-labor. As illegal immigrants, yet Utah residents, these students are not eligible for any sort of financial aid, and so it is very hard for them to fund their education straight out of their pockets.

Carlos Cueva

Medical Lab Sciences

Feng Kai Li

Salt Lake City