SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - The list was mailed to ABC 4 News in a manila envelope with a Salt Lake City post mark and no return address. It was pure political dynamite in a plain wrapper.
Here's how the story unfolded:
July 12, 2010
The list and cover letter arrived from "the concerned citizens of the United States." They demanded the more than 1,200 people on the list be immediately deported.
Even more chilling, they pointed out that some of the women on the list were pregnant, as if their condition made them an even more immediate threat.
The first reaction from law enforcement came from Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder. Speaking of those named on the list, he said, "These are individuals who have no ability to defend themselves from the accusation. We live in a country of laws."
Tony Yapias from Proyecto Latino de Utah said, "They say they're not a militia, they're not a cult, they're not a gang, they're not terrorists. Well, to me they're terrorists because they have just terrorized 12-hundred families."
July 13, 2010
Although ABC 4 News took every precaution not to show any names on the list, people began finding out if their name is included on the list on day two. One woman agreed to speak to ABC 4 on condition of anonymity. I asked her, "Does it make you afraid for the future?" She responded, "It does because I have a son and he is from here and I don't want them to take him away."
July 14, 2010
Alma, whose name is also on the list, confessed, "I'm afraid even sometimes to go out." What's more, she believed someone at the Utah Department of Work Force Services is responsible for the list. Another woman, Roselia agreed. She told ABC 4 the only place where she'd given her name, birth date and address was at Work Force Services.
Governor Gary Herbert's first response also came on day three: "If it came from us in some kind of illegal manner, then I wish it hadn't happened."
July 16, 2010
Two days later, Governor Herbert called a news conference to announce that two Work Force Services employees had been placed on leave and would be investigated by Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. Shurtleff said, "State databases and state information have to be protected. People need to know their information is being protected and private."
July 19, 2010
A week after the list story broke, the phones at Proyecto Latino were still ringing off the hooks. The community group did damage control trying to calm a growing outrage and panic. Yapias said, "No matter how you look at this issue, now it has become a tragedy."
July 20, 2010
The governor's immigration summit brought all sides to the table on day eight. The focus of the summit was immigration reform legislation, but the list cast a shadow over the discussion. It has made the already difficult task of building consensus impossible. One panelist, Utah homeless advocate Pamela Atkinson commented, "I'm tired of the lack of civility. I'm tired of the hatred and I'm tired of the hostility."
Everyone said they wanted somebody to do something about the issue, but they could not agree on what that "something" would be.
The list had further enflamed an already heated debate.
