Thread: Utah State Guest Worker Resolution Stalls Out in Senate

Guest worker resolution stalls out / Immigration issue remains a stumbling block for Legislature

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

By JEFF DEMOSS
Standard-Examiner staff
jdemoss@standard.net

SALT LAKE CITY -- After repeatedly slamming the federal government for a perceived lack of action on the illegal immigration issue, the Utah Senate has stalled a resolution asking the federal government for permission to establish a state-run guest worker program.

The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, seeks permission to start a program that would allow foreigners to work legally in the state on a two-year, renewable basis without full United States citizenship.

Jenkins said the nonbinding measure is intended mainly to signal to the federal government that Utah is ready to move forward with its own approaches to solving problems associated with illegal immigration.

But given Monday's Senate vote that defeated the resolution 9-to-19, that may not yet be the case, said Jenkins, who spent "hundreds of hours" last year on an interim task force that came up with several immigration proposals.

"We're all split on this. I'm going to try to bring some unity to this, because we've got to get control of our immigration somehow."

He said a guest worker program would allow the state to capture millions of dollars in income tax revenue that currently goes to the federal government.

Such funds could be used for state health care programs, public school funding, "and all the programs that are running into trouble because of overuse by undocumented aliens," he said.

Legislators in both the House and Senate have panned the proposal, saying it amounts to amnesty and could result in giving jobs to foreigners at a time when millions of Americans are unemployed.

"We should be protecting our own workers, those who are here legally," said Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem.

Jenkins expressed some frustration at the deep divisions in the Legislature regarding attitudes on immigration policy, but said he understands the opposition.

"There are passionate issues, no question," he said.

"This is only a resolution, but it's been bantered around like it's some hard-core bill. I think a lot of the folks voting on this don't share the vision we're trying to create."

The resolution now goes back to House, which voted 66-to-6 to approve it last week, but only after removing language that would include undocumented immigrants in the program.

That amendment defeated the purpose of the proposal, said Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt Lake City.

"We have a very real problem we're trying to address," Litvack said. "If we're not fairly presenting what the issue is to the federal government, we're not being honest and sincere about what we want to address."

Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace, said the resolution could still open the door to conversations at the federal level, even in its watered-down form.

If the House refuses to approve the resolution in its original form, it will essentially be dead. A vote last week on the original draft failed 32-to-41.

Rep. Steven Mascaro, R-West Jordan, said state legislators need to set aside political differences if anything is going to be accomplished in the area of immigration policy.

"Given the fact that we can't even agree on a way to start a discussion, we should be careful about chastising the federal government for its inability to take any action."

http://www.standard.net/live/news/163917/

Any and ALL guest workers need to be the responsibility of those who wish to hire them. From the time of their entry to the time that they exit the country, the companies and people that hire them must make sure all laws have been followed.

When a guest workers time is up and he is scheduled to depart, he must reach the border by that departure time and no later. FINES will be levied against companies and people responsible for them should they not leave in time or should they take part in criminal activity.