Thread: UT: Delay on immigration law dies in committee

Delay on immigration law dies in committee
By Arthur Raymond

Deseret News

Published: March 3, 2009
A bill proposing a one-year delay in last year's controversial immigration reform legislation, SB81, failed to gain committee approval Monday in spite of supporting testimony from a wide-ranging group of community leaders.

SB113, sponsored by Sen. Pat Jones, D-Holladay, called for pushing the July 1 implementation date of SB81 to July 1, 2010. SB81 creates new requirements for businesses that contract with the state to screen employees for legal presence status and calls for an immigration enforcement role for state and local law enforcement agencies.

Jones cited the profound change in Utah's economic atmosphere, an expectation of new federal efforts aimed at immigration reform under the administration of President Barack Obama and a sizable budget allocation that could be used elsewhere in the state's current fiscal challenges as relevant reasons to delay SB81.

"The economy is down and we have a $1.7 million-plus fiscal note attached to this bill," Jones said. "This is not the time to waste valuable dollars … we could be using the money in a more positive way."

Those appearing before the Senate Education Standing Committee Monday included representatives of the United Way, the Utah Workers Compensation Fund, conservative think tank the Sutherland Institute, the head of an LDS social outreach group, the Latin American Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyer Association and Catholic Bishop John C. Wester of the Salt Lake Diocese.

Wester also chairs the national advocacy group U.S. Catholic Bishops Committee for Migration and Refugee services, and he supported the notion that giving the Obama administration more time to enact reform was the best move for Utah right now.

"We believe firmly that SB113 is a good bill to delay SB81 to give the federal government time to come up with comprehensive immigration reform," Wester said.

When questioned by committee members about how much time that might require, Wester said he had spoken with members of Obama's transition team who told him they're "very interested in talking about immigration reform" and moving forward with forming a plan.

Several opponents of delaying SB81 also testified and urged the committee to defeat SB113. Ron Mortensen of the Utah Coalition on Illegal Immigration said that no more time should be wasted while crimes associated with illegal immigration continue to plague the state.

"We cannot afford to have tens of thousands of our children victimized by identity theft," Mortensen said. "We cannot continue to be a magnet state for illegal immigration … and continue to have illegal aliens commit serious crimes."

Isabel Rojas, coordinator of the Utah Immigrant and Refuge Integration Coalition for Comunidades Unidas, expressed her frustration after SB113 fell on a 3-3 vote.

"It's pretty frustrating," Rojas said. "Ten people, influential people in the state talking about how this would have negative impacts for the work force and different communities … that they would rule out this bill seems not representative of community needs, business needs and the needs of religious organizations."

Rojas said she was particularly concerned about the prospect of cross-deputization of local law enforcement officers to perform immigration enforcement, and the chilling effect that could have on crime being reported within the immigrant community.

"What I'm hearing mostly is the fear factor," Rojas said. "People are going to hear that there is anti-immigrant legislation ready to pass … and if there's a crime in the neighborhood, how likely are they to report it?"

http://deseretnews.com/article/0,5143,705288411,00.html

"What I'm hearing mostly is the fear factor," Rojas said. "People are going to hear that there is anti-immigrant legislation ready to pass … and if there's a crime in the neighborhood, how likely are they to report it?"

I'm tired of this lame excuse.

Great news!

I am so pissed that they want to delay implementation of an anti-illegal alien bill just because they hope Obama grants them amnesty. It it so obvious that the delay will make the bill irrelevant once amnesty is given.
What a bunch of BS!!!

All who live in Utah knew that they would try and delay this bill. This bill was passed SB113 last year during the legislative session. It was delayed after being passed in 2008 to not take effect until 2009. This was a delay of another delay and this would have caused another delay. In the mean time our Governor, Governor Huntsman who plans on running for President has signed into law a guest worker program. He wants to force as he says the federal government to make some decisions.

http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_11700049

Here is the article. It is mind blowing and this is a case of talking out of both sides of your mouth. I think that no one wants to really take a stance on our problems here in Utah. They are afraid that they may loose the Latino vote. The Latino's I know do not want the illegal’s here. If this is the case then why are they afraid of the Latino vote unless they know that illegal’s are voting? One legislator just did not want to be labeled so he just did not vote. He was absent from voting. I guess that is a good thing because it SB113 came down to a tie and who knows how he would have voted. I don't understand how you can elect officials and when the going gets tough they just don't simply vote on bills. That needs to be changed. What are we paying them to hold office if they don't vote. Senator Hatch is another one that sits out on votes and just does not vote if the vote is controversial.
Then on top of that you have the LDS Church in there and they are trying to keep illegal’s here thinking that they can make members out of them. Utah is a joke.

"What I'm hearing mostly is the fear factor," Rojas said. "People are going to hear that there is anti-immigrant legislation ready to pass … and if there's a crime in the neighborhood, how likely are they to report it?"

People like Rojas always conveniently forget to insert the word illegal in front of anything that comes out of their mouths! They continue to muddy the issue in an effort to demonize those who believe in the rule of law.

Next, perhaps there wouldn't be so much crime to report if we could get rid of some of your beloved illegals. Ever think about that Rojas? Rojas sounds like a 3rd grader ( no offense to any third graders out there) when he suggests we need to keep every illegal around as future, potential witnesses to a crime.

Which begs the question, how much crime is being committed in these communities to begin with?

Way to go Utah...Now take away the Drivers license, you will be standing alone on that issure real soon.