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The issue of illegal immigration was front and center tonight before Utah lawmakers. A meeting in Park City attracted very few Hispanics, but hundreds of others, almost all in favor of stricter immigration laws, spoke out on an issue they believe is taking a back seat now to the election and the economy.
Eugene Davis, a retired officer of Immigration and Naturalization Service, said, "I firmly believe if we cannot control our borders, we can't control our destiny."
The state Immigration interim committee heard testimony tonight involving Senate Bill 81, part of immigration reform which will become law next July. Utah's bill is modeled after an Oklahoma law, and the sponsor tried to encourage Utah legislators to stick with it. "Don't be bullied or intimidated or threatened by the critics or the naysayers, the folks who are the pro union labor lobby or their allies; hang tough," Oklahoma State Legislator Randy Terrill said.
Those in favor of immigration reform point to issues including the economy, border security and identity theft. Ron Mortensen, with Citizens for Tax Fairness, said, "Illegal immigration and identity theft go hand in hand. It's estimated 75 percent of illegal aliens are involved in some type of document fraud or identity theft."
Utah's minuteman project participants like the bill but believe it lacks the teeth to really work. Eli Cawley, with the Minuteman Project, said, "People need to wake up and look at the totality of the impact illegal aliens and those who pander to them are having on our society and culture."
Latino leaders agree there needs to be immigration reform but believe it will best succeed on a national level. Tony Yapias said, "There are a lot of compassionate people in our state, they understand this is a difficult issue, but most Utahns really don't understand immigration. They think it is easy, 'Let's deport them all and that will solve all of our problems.'"
State lawmakers will continue to hold hearings in St. George and Richfield before taking up the issue of Senate Bill 81 here at the Capitol later this year.
E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
