Poll: Constitutional challenges aside, Utahns support Legislature's attention on immigration issues

SALT LAKE CITY — A majority of Utahns say they support the Utah Legislature's efforts to resolve immigration issues despite the likelihood that at least two recent bills may be deemed unconstitutional, according to a new Deseret News-KSL poll.

Dan Jones & Associates found that 65 percent of Utahns supported the state's involvement in the immigration debate, which is also a controversial federal issue. The poll, conducted March 15-17, of 432 residents statewide, has a 4.75 percent margin of error.

READ MORE: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705369023/Poll-Constitutional-challenges-aside-Utahns-support-Legislatures-attention-on-immigration-issues.html?pg=2

Utah: Great job on immigration

The Utah Legislature has accomplished something that has eluded Washington and state governments: It has moved a few steps forward toward a practical answer to the problem of illegal immigration.
Three bills just approved by lawmakers incorporate the best ideas lawmakers have produced over the past several years, while dropping or revamping dubious concepts.
What's more, the tone of the debate has become more moderate. In the real world, that's just as important as the letter of the law.

READ MORE: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/opinion/article_d752bac6-5c3e-5202-b3fa-d681ad3e39e8.html

Utah Legislature passes immigration reform package

(AP) SALT LAKE CITY - Utah lawmakers have approved an immigration package that includes an enforcement law reminiscent of Arizona’s but tempered with a guest worker program for illegal immigrants.

The immigration measures approved by both chambers Friday night would allow illegal immigrants to get a permit to work in Utah. But they also include a requirement that police check the immigrant status of anyone stopped for a felony or serious misdemeanor.

READ MORE: http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S2007901.shtml?cat=10065

Utah distances itself from anti-immigrant sentiment in U.S.

Washington –  The state of Utah, where approximately 110,000 undocumented immigrants live, is not a paradise but at least it wants to show the world that "it's not Arizona," approving measures that will benefit the foreigners illegally residing there.

Only the national government can ensure that federal immigration laws are upheld, but the U.S. Congress has shown itself to lack the appetite to address once and for all the problem of illegal immigration.

READ MORE: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2011/03/08/utah-distances-anti-immigrant-sentiment/ 

Immigrant sponsorship bill sails through Senate

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Senate quickly approved a bill on Tuesday that will allow Utahns to sponsor immigrants.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Dougall, R-Highland, was passed in the Senate with less than five minutes of debate. Five Democrats and one Republican, Sen. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, voted against the bill. Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, said this is a first step in fixing the illegal immigration problems in the country.

Read More: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/immigration/article_b5faf563-0c00-57c8-80cb-5f710f75ef57.html

Sandstrom's new illegal immigration enforcement bill looks much like the old one

SALT LAKE CITY — Meet the new bill. Same as the old bill.
Rep. Stephen Sandstrom's revised enforcement-only illegal immigration measure came out Thursday with only slight changes from the much-maligned HB70.
"There's very little difference," the Orem Republican said.
After meeting with the Utah Attorney General's Office, the Utah Department of Public Safety and Salt Lake Police Chief Chris Burbank, he said he made technical adjustments that would help police officers carry out the law.

Read More: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705367954/Sandstroms-new-illegal-immigration-enforcement-bill-looks-much-like-the-old-one.html

Best chance for immigration reform

Within the first few weeks of the 2011 legislative session, I asked Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, if he would provide some added legislative leadership on the volatile issue of undocumented immigrants living in Utah. He said he would, and he has — and I’m grateful for it.

We now have Senate Bill 288 in addition to SB60 and HB116 as comprehensive alternatives to Rep. Steve Sandstrom’s Arizona-style, “enforcement-only” HB 70, even though the current patchwork of SB288 includes HB70.

Read More: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/51339344-82/utah-senate-state-policy.html.csp

New Sandstrom immigration enforcement bill emerges

Rep. Stephen Sandstrom unveiled the new version of his enforcement-only immigration bill Thursday, believing he had made enough changes to appease Senate leaders and to ensure its passage out of that chamber.

He was wrong.

The Orem Republican had been told to remove “objectionable language” linked to the old bill, HB70, because of its roots in Arizona’s enforcement-only immigration law. That language included the words “reasonable suspicion” when directing a local law enforcement officer to determine the legal status of a person suspected of a crime.

Read More: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51360287-76/bill-changes-enforcement-immigration.html.csp

A.G., Sandstrom, Bramble unveil migrant worker bill

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah's Attorney General Mark Shurtleff was joined by Sen. Curt Bramble and Rep. Stephen Sandstrom in announcing the latest immigration bill of the session.
House Bill 466 will create a Utah Commission on Immigration and Migration and provide for the creation of a Migrant Worker Visa Pilot Program. The pilot program would allow for businesses to come to the state and say they need a certain number of workers to do a job

READ MORE: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/legislature/article_3d456d97-d7ad-50d6-a830-051dda4f0e42.html

Bipartisan effort to create Utah migrant worker program unveiled

SALT LAKE CITY — Lawmakers unveiled a bipartisan effort Wednesday to create a migrant worker program between Utah and a state in Mexico.
The proposal is the first to unite the various factions in the state's divisive debate over illegal immigration. Democrats and Republicans joined Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff to announce the proposed Utah Commission on Immigration and Migration Act.

READ MORE:  http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705367863/Bipartisan-effort-to-create-Utah-migrant-worker-program-unveiled.html

Immigration and the Utah economy

As Utah economists, we have closely observed the immigration debate on Capitol Hill.
The Utah economy is at a crossroads, transitioning from a long and deep recession to what we hope will be a period of prolonged expansion. A strong, stable and sustained economic expansion, however, won't happen by chance. It will occur because of purposeful leadership.

READ MORE: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700114987/Immigration-and-the-Utah-economy.html

The immigration enforcer

WASHINGTON — During his first 18 years in Congress, the view from Lamar Smith's office was of a parking lot. Now, in his 13th term, he looks out upon the Capitol dome. Seniority confers perquisites.
Today he chairs the House Judiciary Committee that has custody of the immigration issue. When first elected, his Texas district — then 42,000 square miles, five times larger than Massachusetts — included 400 miles of the border with Mexico.

READ MORE: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700114967/The-immigration-enforcer.html

Bill proposes resident immigrant sponsorship program in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — A bill proposing to allow Utahns to sponsor foreign nationals to come to the United States legally cleared a House committee Wednesday.
Rep. John Dougall, R-American Fork, said people who want move to the United States lawfully have been overlooked in the illegal immigration debate.
"I contend we've largely locked the front door and made it difficult for folks to immigrate here, live the American dream," he said.

READ MORE: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705367826/Bill-proposes-resident-immigrant-sponsorship-program-in-Utah.html

Keep out inferior people ...like Tony Yapias

Oh, I know, people who have a problem with the type of immigrants we get must be xenophobic or racist, at least according to The Salt Lake Tribune or Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah. No, the fact is, some countries produce a better culture and type of people than others do. Some are much more advanced, while others are still way behind.

READ MORE: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/51338171-82/type-countries-immigrants-lake.html.csp 

Utah bill to partner with Mexico

Two lawmakers who have been at odds with each other on immigration legislation stood together Wednesday to jointly introduce a migrant worker bill that seeks to begin a partnership between Utah and a state in Mexico.

The bill, HB466, is sponsored by Rep. Stephen Sandstrom and co-sponsored by Sen. Curt Bramble and would allow businesses in Utah who need labor to directly solicit it through Nuevo Leon. The approach would work within federal guidelines where legal visas are distributed by the federal government with the state acting essentially as middleman.

READ MORE: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51349338-76/bill-bramble-federal-immigration.html.csp

Shurtleff: Investigation of ‘The List’ is complete

The investigation into the unauthorized release of “The List” of 1,300 names people who were supposedly in the country illegally is complete and the outcome could be announced soon.

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said Wednesday that his office screened the case and he expects to make an announcement next week, nearly eight months after the list was released to news outlets and law enforcement agencies.

READ MORE: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51351462-76/1300-agencies-attorney-bassett.html.csp

One immigration bill moves on, one doesn't

SALT LAKE CITY -- Two bills dealing with illegal immigration were sent in different directions Tuesday by the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Committee members opted not to take action on House Bill 253, sponsored by Rep. Christopher Herrod, R-Provo.
Sen. John Valentine, R-Provo, said there were too many problems with the bill for the committee to send it to the Senate floor for consideration.

READ MORE: http://www.standard.net/topics/utah-legislature/2011/03/01/one-immigration-bill-moves-one-doesnt

Omnibus immigration bill easily clears first vote

Sen. Curt Bramble’s comprehensive immigration reform bill passed out of committee by a 7-1 vote while Rep. Stephen Sandstrom followed through on his agreement with Senate leaders to open a new bill file Tuesday by removing “objectionable language” from his enforcement-only immigration bill.

READ MORE: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51342910-76/bill-bramble-enforcement-federal.html.csp

Utah lawmakers moving closer to resolution on illegal immigration legislation

SALT LAKE CITY — State lawmakers appear closer to assembling legislation to address illegal immigration in Utah, though not everyone is content with where it's headed.
"We're making progress," said Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo. "This is a very complex, emotionally charged issue."

READ MORE: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705367809/Utah-lawmakers-moving-closer-to-resolution-on-illegal-immigration-legislation.html

House passes amended bill repealing Utah college tuition for illegal immigrants

SALT LAKE CITY — Sniping between the House and Senate over how to approach illegal immigration legislation took center stage at the Capitol again Monday.
With passage of a bill aimed at repealing in-state tuition for undocumented college students, the House has now approved four measures on the controversial subject.
And the primary movers behind those bills are accusing the Senate of cherry-picking them for a comprehensive proposal they say they can't support.

READ MORE http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705367657/House-passes-amended-bill-repealing-Utah-college-tuition-for-illegal-immigrants.html