This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I hear a lot of negative talk about immigrants in our community, and I disagree with these views. I feel that work visas should be easier to get. Immigrants working on a visa will pay taxes and will contribute to their communities rather than strain resources.
Immigrants make up 5 percent of the unskilled work force. This is a significant contribution to the community job market. I have a teen child that I had to force to take a job in the food industry. Most teens do not want jobs that they deem beneath their standards.
Immigrants don't have the attitude of entitlement that our society has. They will work more than one job at low wages. This fills jobs that may be unwanted due to low wages, and it keeps the cost of goods in the agricultural and food industry low for consumers. I am grateful for the contribution my immigrant neighbors make to our community; we should make their ability to work easier.
Mlissa Woods
St. George