Two Utah State Employees Accused Of Compiling 'Illegal Immigrants' List

[teko]

Two Utah State Employees Accused Of Compiling 'Illegal Immigrants' List
Rachel Slajda | July 16, 2010, 1:44PM

The Utah governor's office announced today that "at least" two state employees have been placed on administrative leave, accused of creating a list of alleged illegal immigrants that was sent to state agencies and news outlets this week.

The two employees work for the Department of Workforce Services but have not been identified. Their information will be turned over to the state attorney general's office as part of the state's ongoing investigation.

According to the governor, the employees could be fired for distributing personal and confidential records. They may also face criminal charges.

The list which includes 1,300 names and sensitive personal information including addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers, as well as the due dates for six pregnant women on the list.

A letter accompanying the list called for the deportation of everyone on it.

None of Utah's anti-immigration groups have claimed responsibility for the list.

The governor, Gary Herbert (R), had ordered an investigation among all state agencies to see if the information came from an employee. The investigation focused heavily on the Department of Workforce Services, which handles applications for Medicaid and food stamps.

Federal agencies were also investigating the incident.

Late update: The director of Workforce Services said today that two more employees are suspected of being involved.

And the attorney general, Mark Shurtleff, said he's working with federal authorities to determine whether to press charges in state or federal court.

"We're talking serious crimes that could rise to the level of what we would call a felony crime," Shurtleff said.

[caregiver222]

As far as I'm concerned people who are in this country illegally are not entitled to any protections or privacy. I know the courts have ruled otherwise. I respectfully disagree with their decisions.

In the case of legal citizens I would consider this an outrage.

In the case of illegals, they should be identified and deported.

These employees should not be charged.

[teko]

I think if the fed government does not tackle this immigration situation and soon. The whole country is going to take it into their own hands. I agree that individuals and states should not have to take situations into their own hands but this is going to cause a major uprising of the people if the feds don't tackle it and soon! Republicans don't want any part of this with an election around the corner. I think we all need to contact the officials and push to have this addressed now rather than later. We the people need to get together and demand it.

[flmagi]

I don't know what to say about this..............
No, employees shouldn't use and circulate personal information about people, obtained from work, for their cause......................
But
Illegals shouldn't be using United States resources/programs........................
I can fully understand the frustration of these employees. They see, first hand, the abuse of our system by illegals and then they can't report it? Can't do anything about it?
If the government isn't going to do anything about the illegals, then they expect more of this type of thing to happen.
I definitely don't think these employees should be charged with felonies.