Immigration strike force creation bill held up in committee
Sheena Mcfarland

The Salt Lake Tribune

Posted: 02/24/2009 09:13:01 AM MST




A bill that would create a $1 million immigration law enforcement strike force was held up in committee Tuesday morning.

HB64, sponsored by Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace, would bring together police, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau agents and prosecutors from the Attorney General's Office to crack down on high-level crime, such as gang violence and human trafficking, committed by workers in the country illegally.

Dee, though, attempted to substitute his bill so the Attorney General's Office instead of the Department of Public Safety would coordinate the effort. However, the House committee hearing the bill balked and voted to move to the next agenda item instead of accepting the substitute bill.

"I'll do some more homework," Dee told the committee.

The committee likely will rehear the bill at a later date.

smcfarland@sltrib.com

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11773541?source=rss