I love Utah. This is a great place to be a pastor. This is the place where religion is the topic of conversation every day. This is the place where public policy is shaped by our core values of family unity and our heritage of hospitality. This is the place where people readily enter the public arena to explore ways that we live out the full meaning of our calling as children of God.

I am grateful to learn that leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have reminded us that "we are talking about human beings" when we address issues with the undocumented immigrant community in Utah ("LDS urge empathy in immigrant legislation," Tribune, Jan. 24).

This reminder reframes immigration reform, moving from a place of fear to a posture of faith. There are no easy answers, and differences exist among persons within our religious communities. Yet, from our faith perspective, compassion compels us to see the person who has entered this country without authorization not simply as an "illegal alien," but as a brother or sister made and loved by God.

This is not the case in our national debate, where immigrants are sometimes portrayed as locusts, bacteria or an occupying army. By dehumanizing people and posturing immigration in a climate of fear, some would have us believe that issues can be solved by keeping people out, kicking people out and getting tough with new immigration laws. But as Archbishop Desmond Tutu reminds us, "Love is more demanding than the law."

As we consider immigration bills in this year's state Legislature, I hope Utah can be the place where we embrace the humanity and dignity of all people.

Rev. Steven A. Klemz

Pastor, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

Salt Lake City