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Sen. Orrin Hatch's concern about being personally "stiffed" by the Democrats over immigration legislation seems directed more at his egocentric viewpoints rather than immigration reform per se ("Hatch warns Dems not to 'stiff' him on immigration," Tribune, June 13).
While I can support a process for some form of payment of back taxes or penalties by those entering a pathway for citizenship, I'd like to know why the senator only targets immigrants.
If, as he states, the IRS could logically determine income and hence taxes owed by immigrants, it could also identify those unscrupulous businesses that paid the "illegal" immigrants under the table to avoid Social Security, Medicare and workers' compensation taxes as well.
If Hatch linked the two together — immigrants paying back tax by the immigrants and businesses paying their matching employee withholdings — I'd support his plan.
Otherwise, the only ones being "stiffed" are the immigrants and we taxpayers. Both of us are paying into the entitlement bank, while the businesses, which are as equally guilty of violating the law as the "illegal" immigrants, avoid paying their fair share.
Thomas Edwards
Logan