Attorney General and LDS Latino activist call on Church to take an immigration position
Reported by: Chris Vanocur
Last Update: 3:25 am


SALT LAKE - Monday, three Utah lawmakers went to Arizona on a fact finding mission which may lead to
an Arizona style immigration law being passed here.

But at the same time they were visiting the Arizona Mexico-border, a Latino activist was calling for the LDS Church
to speak out on the issue.

Actually, Tony Yapias is not only a Latino activist, he's also LDS.

And, perhaps, because he is both, he recently sent a letter to LDS President Thomas S. Monson.

In that letter, Yapias writes,

"...you as maximum authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, should show your official position in this matter..."

The matter Yapias is talking about is immigration.

Yapias told ABC 4,

"We know in Utah that if you're going to get anything done at the Capitol, you have to go to the Church."

This, however, may be a tricky issue for the LDS Church, which has sizeable number of Latino members.

Now, some wanting tougher immigration laws point to the Church's Twelfth Article of Faith:

“We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.â€