As politicians wrangle over fences, border security, guest worker programs and the extremes of amnesty versus deportation, Mark Alvarez hopes one thought can hold sway.

"We're calling for human beings to be treated as human beings," said Alvarez, a Salt Lake City attorney who provides pro bono advice for area Latinos.

Saturday afternoon, Alvarez shared the stage at Centro Civico Mexicano with Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah. The pair addressed an audience of about three dozen people who had gathered to learn more about the pending legislation.

Undocumented immigrants live in the shadows of this country, even while contributing to the American quality of life, Yapias said.

"We all knew this day would soon happen when leaders would institute new immigration laws," Yapias said. "We don't know the final version of the law today, but it is important to share what we do know about its future implications."

Those attending Saturday's meeting were most concerned about preparing for changes the bill could bring about. One woman was concerned about how to keep her family together, continuing to live and work in Utah although they may not be documented. A man inquired about whether to continue to use a falsified social security number.

Alvarez encouraged the group to keep current on their taxes, save money, stay out of legal trouble and stockpile receipts from utility payments and other transactions that could prove how long they've lived in Utah.

Yapias also urged the community to remain optimistic and try to keep abreast of the bill's progress. Each Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. on 1550 AM, he hosts a radio program on issues affecting the Latino community.

About 300,000 Latinos live in Utah, and an estimated one-third are undocumented, Yapias said. Alvarez said much of his work with Utah's immigrant population deals with damage control stemming from their undocumented status.

"At best, we try to keep them from being swindled."

cmckitrick@sltrib.com

What's in the bill

On May 18, Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy introduced S. 1348, the Senate Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill. Last week, debate began on the Senate floor and will continue after lawmakers reconvene in June. An estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants currently live in the United States.

Some highlights of S. 1348:

* The end of catch and release. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents must have the resources to detain up to 27,500 undocumented immigrants each day

* Beefed up border patrol

* Biometric (fingerprint) entry-exit system for anyone crossing the border

* Employers must comply with new electronic employment verification system or face hefty fines

* Guest worker program could be capped at 200,000 per year

* New Z visa would provide limited status for undocumented immigrants that have resided in the U.S. for a certain amount of time

Source: www.ilw.com