In not using Utah's new immigration law, Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank is concerned for the civil rights of illegal aliens, but he ignores the dictum that to punish lesser crimes is to prevent larger crimes ("New immigration law sets dangerous precedent," Opinion, July 4).

For example, if the illegal alien who killed three members of the Gary Ceran family had been deported after an earlier driving under the influence charge, he wouldn't have committed vehicular homicide and Utah taxpayers wouldn't be paying $35,000 a year to incarcerate him. Families of Utahns killed by illegal aliens -- such as Noemi Rodriguez, Joseph Crummy, Dan Johnson, VerLee Hunt and Aniceto Armendaiz -- might differ with Burbank's allegation that "the costs of participating in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(g) program outweigh the benefits."

Burbank is surprised that since Mormons immigrated to Utah to escape persecution and find freedom, today many choose to "assume a negative and biased position toward immigrants." However, Mormons believe in "obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." As former Texas Rep. Barbara Jordan testified: "It is both a right and a responsibility of a democratic society to manage immigration so that it serves the national interest."

Vicki Martin

Clearfield