Utah on immigration: We aren't Arizona

Less than a year ago, Utah business leaders worried that their state would follow in Arizona’s controversial footsteps by passing tough new laws to crack down on illegal immigration. Already, there were signs that a divisive debate — the kind that led to mass protests, boycotts and lawsuits in Phoenix — was shaping up in Utah, too.  

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Utah House passes Sandstrom's immigration enforcement bill

SALT LAKE CITY — A controversial illegal immigration enforcement bill modeled after Arizona legislation passed Friday in the House.
HB70, sponsored by Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, was approved 58-15 after nearly two hours of often impassioned debate on the House floor. Two Democrats joined the GOP majority and one Republican crossed party lines in the decidedly partisan vote.

READ MORE: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705367020/Utah-House-passes-Sandstroms-immigration-enforcement-bill.html

(Rep. Sandstrom) Immigration bill carries big price tag (11 Million)

Rep. Stephen Sandstrom’s enforcement-only immigration reform bill could cost local governments in excess of $11 million, according to financial data released Monday by the Legislative Fiscal Analysts office.

Sandstrom has been in discussions with various groups — including the Utah League of Cities and Towns — in an attempt to bring that number down and suggested during a meeting Monday that a way to offset those costs would be to impose a fee on wire transfers of money from Utah to other countries as well as adding a fee to the existing driving privilege card.

READ MORE: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51206035-76/analysts-bill-cities-cost.html.csp 

AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL: Senators look for immigration deal

Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have rekindled their alliance on immigration reform, taking some early steps to test the political will for addressing the contentious issue this year.

Their call list hasn’t focused so much on House and Senate members who’ve been reliable pro-immigration votes in the past. Instead, they’re looking to a strange-bedfellows mix of conservative and liberal constituencies that can provide a “safety net” of support, as Graham put it, once the issue heats up.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48956.html#ixzz1DI47Pm2o