Re “DREAM Act backers fail to get Hatch’s ear” (Tribune, Aug. 9): The DREAM Act provides a path to U.S. citizenship for individuals brought here as children by their undocumented parents. It is fair, just and just makes sense.

These individuals didn’t decide to steal into America — their parents did — and they know no other county. It wouldn’t be compassionate to send them back to a country they don’t know, and in any event almost all of them are going to stay here, under the radar.

Why not make those who show themselves as responsible adults (by completing college or military service) into responsible, contributing citizens.

When Sen. Orrin Hatch was an across-the-aisle-reaching Republican, he sponsored this bipartisan legislation. Now with Utah’s rabid tea party nipping at his heels, he’s given up being a compassionate conservative.

Regardless, it’s the moral and practical thing to do. If we can’t even agree on untying this no-brainer aspect of our immigration knot, there’s really no hope for our political system, for all our pressing issues demand bipartisan compromise.

And that’s the real reason to dump Hatch — he’s no longer a problem solver.

David D. Erickson

Salt Lake City

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion...tisan.html.csp