This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Latino immigrants living in Utah say they're not angry with the Supreme Court for splitting up a U.S.-Mexican family, but they are frustrated with U.S. immigration laws.
The Supreme Court on Thursday voted to uphold the deportation of Humberto Fernandez-Vargas, a Mexican who lived in Utah for decades.
Fernandez-Vargas was deported several times from the 1970s to 1981, but returned and fathered a child, started a trucking company and married his longtime partner, Rita, a U.S. citizen.
"The judges are only following the immigration law," said Jorge Angel, a 40-year-old Ogden resident who moved to the United States from El Salvador 17 years ago and has U.S. residency.
Angel said the problem is that immigrants often do not know how to navigate the system. U.S. immigration officials need to better educate immigrants about their rights, options and the application process, he said.
Now, Angel said he fears that undocumented immigrants will not seek basic assistance, like if they get hurt on the job, and stay away from city halls and schools.
"They don't know if they're going to be punished for coming to the U.S. illegally," he said.
Renetta Coppard, a U.S. citizen who came from Peru 25 years ago, called the court's decision "very sad." The ruling sends a poor message about the United States' views on family values, she said. Fernandez-Vargas should have been given another chance, especially because he has a family here.
"Instead of dividing families, they should do what ever they can to unite them," Coppard said.