Utah identifies 2 allegedly behind immigrant list

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100716/...ant_list/print

By BROCK VERGAKIS, Associated Press Writer Brock Vergakis, Associated Press Writer
7 mins ago

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah officials said Friday they have identified at least two state workers who apparently accessed confidential documents to create a list of 1,300 purported illegal immigrants that was mailed to law enforcement officials and the news media.

Gov. Gary Herbert said the employees work for the Department of Workforce Services, which administers food stamp programs and other public benefits. The employees have been placed on administrative leave.

"It's a very small group. The people we've identified certainly have some strong political opinions and seem to be frustrated with some of the issues around immigration," said Kristen Cox, executive director for the department. "I think it's an immense hypocrisy to talk about taking people to task for being illegal and doing so by breaking the law."
Newspapers started receiving the list of names and personal information this week, and its publicity created widespread fear in the Hispanic community. The anonymous mailing said it also was sent to immigration officials. It demanded that those on the list be deported, although some named have said they are in the country legally.

"This tactic by these rogue employees to go out and to single out individuals and their families, in some case falsely accusing people of an illegal status, is in fact deplorable," Herbert said.

Cox said there may be a few more people implicated in the leak of the names, but she's confident that the core group that is responsible has been identified.

Hispanic advocates applauded how quickly the state acted to find the source of the leak and to assure the community that state policy doesn't allow for just anyone to access private information.

"The governor took the first step today to bring that trust back again," said Tony Yapias, former director of the Office of Hispanic Affairs.

Intentionally releasing a private record in Utah is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. If someone stole such a record, it could be prosecuted as a felony with a penalty punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
"We will begin an immediate, aggressive, formal investigation," Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff promised Friday on a conference call with national and local Hispanic leaders.

Herbert said accessing the private information and distributing it to federal immigration authorities is also a violation of federal law. Shurtleff said he would seek the help of the U.S. attorney's office.

"We're talking serious, felony-level crimes," Shurtleff said.
The list contains Social Security numbers, birth dates, workplaces, addresses and phone numbers. Names of children are included, along with due dates of pregnant women.

Cox said most of the people on the list are there because their children are receiving benefits.

Herbert said there are two benefits administered by the state — food stamps and prenatal care — that would provide information that could indicate someone is in the country illegally. The state keeps records of the relatives of those receiving benefits because it has to know what each person's household income is before benefits are issued.

Officials continued investigating the list Friday even though state employees usually have the day off as part of the state's four-day workweek to cut energy costs.

The investigation comes as Herbert, a Republican, prepares to host a public immigration summit Tuesday. Herbert has said he will sign an immigration bill into law next year if he's still in office, but it's unclear how closely that bill might mirror one lawmakers recently passed in Arizona.

Arizona's law, which takes effect July 29, directs police enforcing other laws to determine a suspect's immigration status if there is reason to believe the person is in the U.S. illegally. The Obama administration has sued Arizona to throw out the law and keep other states from copying it.

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Associated Press Writer Paul Foy contributed to this report.

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAAHAHHAHAHAH! I told you guys it'd take no time to find out; I work with this information every day. These people are of the stupidest kind if they thought they couldn't be traced to this activity. Ha!

Sounds like the nativists are going crazy. If something isn't done soon, I wouldn't be surprised if racial tensions erupt.

Well let's just wait and see what happens to them.

Dude I know, people have been talking about a civil war. Not just over immigration, but over everything else they disagree on. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Good! These bastards need to be locked up for as long as possible. For what they tried to do, they are absolutely despicable and deserve nothing less than the most severe punishment.

We could sure go on living a little better without people like these.

Bring on the monkeys...

Hell, I wouldn't mind a second civil war. Guess you have to club the stupid every now and then.

WIN

What those officials did is disgusting. Making a list and distributing it through out the UT and all. I wouldn't be on any kind of list so they can find my ass.

On the other hand, if those on the list would not be receiving benefits that US taxpayers pay for, they wouldn't be on the list in the first place. I nor any of my family members do not receive any benefits or government help. I work my ass off to provide for the family. And all who just milk the government benefit offices are assholes who make me a bad immigrant in any US citizen eye. I don't have papers but I don't ask for money. So US citizens would've cared less about catching and deporting me, but those assholes who abuse the system make US people to hunt me and many other hard working individuals and families.
My Puerto Rican landlord came to US when she was little. She worked daytime and went to school at night to learn English. And she worked all her life at the restaurant she and her husband owned.
My father came to US, worked as demolition man, and recently died due to hernia he got doing demolition.
And we have those assholes, legal or illegal, who just walk straight to welfare office. if they have papers they apply for benefits. If they have no papers, they get pregnant, give birth, and apply their US born children to all government benefits and US citizens have to pay for it. Of course US citizens will be pissed big time on this kind of behavior. And I, being without papers since 15, also pissed on those people on the list who collect all benefits or their children collect or will collect benefits. US citizens, looking at them, do not want to legalize me and people like me. All of us on this forum work our asses off to pay for tuition and support families and we will not be a burden. I know whole projects in NYC that filled with South Americans, Puerto Ricans, Blacks who just came to US and went straight on government benefits without working a single day in USA. That makes me sick. So did those people who released the list of benefit collectors in UT.

Fuck those on that list for putting my and many other hard working people chances getting papers to gutter. They put me and many other good undocumented people onto shit list of being potential gold diggers. They never thought twice doing it. So why should I be sympathetic to them? And those who released the list will not be punished hard. You'll see. Many Americans will be furious. Citizens cannot get unemployment and some immigrants with Spanish names get benefits. DO you think it's fare?

whatever consequences come to these guys/gals, there will be financial support for their defense via alipac, fair, (include whatever kkk/white suprematist group you can think of); so in the end big media fuzz (if any) and they're scot free..

They can go ahead and get free legal defense, but Idon't think they have a good defense for their actions. If I were to sue the state based on my name being on the list, this is what I'd want: No jail time in exchange for pleading guilty to the federal felony charges. Aren't felons banned from working as federal or state employees???? Take their livelihood away. Fine, you get to walk away, but you may never work in this field again. I think is a fair deal.