Senate dodgers | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Both of our U.S. senators think our country should spend several more years debating immigration reform ("Utah Senators Lee, Hatch call for immigration reform's delay" (Tribune, March 20), ignoring the fact that every day they stall and delay, thousands of families are torn apart by deportations.

It's disappointing to see our elected officials dodge their responsibility to lead and ignore the clear public consensus around immigration reform with a clear path to citizenship.

As an immigrant, I attest to the fact that our families have waited too long already — we've been working, paying taxes, going to school and contributing. We want the chance to become full-fledged American citizens.

Here in Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake Dream Team (part of the national immigrant youth network United We Dream) will continue to fight for all 11 million dreamers — Americans without papers who want to earn their citizenship.

I hope Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee, who both know the valuable contributions immigrants make to Utah and the United States, will realize now is not the time to put the brakes on progress. Now is the time to pass immigration reform with a real road map to citizenship.

Angelica Rodriguez

Salt Lake City