Posted on 06/25/2006 9:32:52 PM PDT by batter
A year ago, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff warned us about an unprecedented epidemic of illegal immigrant-driven identity theft targeting our children. In fact, according to the Attorney General's Office, the identities of thousands of Utah children have been stolen by illegal immigrants who need Social Security numbers in order to get jobs and credit.
"Identity thieves are no respecters of age. They will steal your children's ID, ruin their credit and hurt them in ways never thought possible, before they can graduate from grade school," says Shurtleff in a press release. "Children are vulnerable even if parents do everything right."
Earlier this year, KSL-TV carried a report about an illegal immigrant who had stolen the identity of a 2-year-old girl and run up thousands of dollars of debt. The child's family was left to recover the daughter's identity at a cost of hundreds of hours of work and thousands of dollars.
A month ago, at a symposium on identity theft, a state representative told how her son's identity had been stolen by an illegal immigrant. The theft was not discovered until years later when the son went to college. Clearing his credit history has been a long and frustrating process.
And, just several days ago, the Deseret Morning News carried a story about a 9-year-old girl whose identity had been stolen by an illegal immigrant. The theft only came to light when an application for Medicaid was submitted and denied because government records showed that she was already earning income on her Social Security number.
Again, a family's life has been turned upside down and in this case, Medicaid coverage for an American citizen was delayed due to the actions of an illegal immigrant.
These cases are only the tip of the iceberg. Therefore, in an attempt to protect our families from illegal immigrant identity theft, CitizensForTaxFairness.org, a grassroots citizens group in Davis County, formally requested that Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. take steps to ensure that taxpayer funds were not being used to facilitate identity theft that goes hand-in-hand with the employment of illegal immigrants.
In a letter delivered on May 8, our group asked the governor to require state officials to verify the employment eligibility and Social Security numbers of all new hires, to require state contractors who are paid with our tax monies to do the same and to require the recipients of taxpayer-funded economic development assistance to also verify employment eligibility and Social Security numbers.
Unfortunately, to date, no response has been received. However, in the interim, the governor's office found the time and taxpayer funds to help design a Spanish language Web site using the colors of the Mexican flag.
In addition, although the state and those receiving taxpayer funds still won't verify employment eligibility and Social Security numbers of new hires, the state continues to provide benefits to illegal aliens who may be using a child's stolen identity. In fact, the state's Medicaid Web site for noncitizens assures illegal immigrants that "Medicaid DOES NOT report undocumented aliens who apply for Emergency Medicaid to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (sic)."
Isn't it time our public officials get serious about protecting our children's identities rather than using taxpayer funds to provide jobs and benefits to the very people who are stealing them?
Ronald W. Mortensen is a retired Foreign Service officer and co-founder of CitizensForTaxFairness.org.
bump
I suggest that you call any elected Democrat (Liberal Leftist) or RINO and ask them what they plan to do about this disgrace. You can start with Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Schumer, Kennedy, and the list goes on and on and on.
Arrest and deport illegals.
Fine the living hell out of employers who hire illegals. If they do it a second time, jail them.
Any one who says otherwise is an apologist for criminals.
L
I think I'll call Huntsman's office about this. The original website (referred to in the op-ed) with the Mexican colors was temporarily pulled due to the outcry it generated.
HOWEVER, in the meantime the State has managed to put up new sites: espanol.utah.gov (Spanish version)or www.utah.gov/espanol (Gringo/English version), both with the green button color changed to blue.
I wish I would've screen captured the original. If any of you know of someone who has, please let me know.
¡Bienvenido a Utah!
Audra Schmierer’s Social Security number really gets around. It has been used by at least 81 people in 17 states, most of them probably illegal immigrants trying to get work. (Listen to her story as told to J&K by clicking here.) http://www.johnandkenshow.com/
The federal government took years to discover the number was being used illegally, but authorities took little action even then. . .
Social Security Deputy Director Lowell Kepke backed out of a scheduled interview with John and Ken on the grounds that the forum wasn’t “fair.” Call or e-mail Mr. Kepke and ask him to explain why people like Audra Schmierer are getting screwed.
Phone: (510) 970-8427 0r (510) 970-8430
E-mail: SF.RPA@ssa.gov
Lobyist $$$. One lobyist is hired by his company to lobby the State Legislature on Hispanic issues, the vast majority of which have nothing to do with the company.
Then there is the also, yet still popular, race card thrown at folks with a histerical fear of being called raceist regardless if the charge is based on absurdity and politics without any basis.
I would hope that none of this is news to you.
The statement on the Medicaid site can be found under the Emergency Services Only, for Non-Citizens, Utah Medicaid Program page. An ER nurse here in Utah mentioned the the ERs are begining to hemorage logistically and fiscally due to the burden (no pun intended).
The entire thing is totally ironic when the article mentioned the Utahn who had Medicaid delayed because and illegal immigrant stole their SSN.
I guess that's it for now. I have to get up early. All I can do at this point is give some kind of hysterical laugh at the entire situation we're in. Down is up; up is down...what is going on here?
Our politicians can't protect children because someone may call them racists? No, cowardice does not surprise me. But I do wonder why our political cowards did not just stay home in their gated comunities where they belong. Since they clearly do not have the bravery to fight for children they should have the decency to give up power.
Some related threads:
ID Stolen for work a growing problem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1650902/posts
Do you know where your child's SSN is?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1620374/posts
No, you may not have my social security number.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1621897/posts
Social Security Number Verification (Employers Can Verify Employees Social Security Number)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1620228/posts
HER ATM CARD, BUT HER IMPOSTOR'S PICTURE
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1573020/posts
ping
Elected officials (including the Gov.) all seem to forget just who they are working for.
redrock
Nice. This is assimilation, right?
ping
Thank you!
Will there ever be a solution to the illegal immigrants?
Si.
Sounds like Utah is sadly discovering what CA, TX and AZ has been putting up with for decades now.
Utah is now considered an emerging "gateway" for illegal immigrants. It isn't much of a surprise, though, given the welcome mat we've put out for them.
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