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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Some Utah Democrats -- including Salt Lake City's high-profile Mayor Rocky Anderson -- may have plans to rally against President Bush and his policies when the country's leader comes to the Utah later this month, but not Tony Yapias.
Instead the director of Proyecto Latino de Utah and chairman of the Utah Hispanic Democratic Caucus, plans a pro-Bush demonstration in support of the president's policies on immigration.
"We're going to focus on what worries us most, and that's immigration," Yapias said. "The president supports a guest worker program. We're going to encourage him to work with Congress to get a bill passed."
Although the White House won't confirm his travel plans, Bush is expected in Utah Aug. 29 to address the national convention of the American Legion.
Yapias said he's applied for a permit to rally at Liberty Park on Aug. 30 to support the president in his call for a new guest worker program, along with bolstered border security.
His rally plans have support from some Hispanic Republicans. Michael Clara, vice chairman of the Utah Republican Hispanic Assembly, said if the Proyecto Latino could garner support for comprehensive immigration reform.
But some Democrats are far from United behind Yapias' plan, said Archie Archuleta, past chairman of the Salt Lake County and Utah Hispanic Democratic Caucuses. Archuleta said Bush "sold out" on reform when he sided with immigration hardliners and he plans to attended rallies opposing the president's policies with Anderson and Gold Star Mom Cindy Sheehan.
"He opted for a militarized zone on the border, in building our own Berlin Wall," said Archuleta. "Number two, he has not been very persuasive with Congress to look at the whole issue of guest workers. We don't think he's very serious."
Yapias acknowledges the divide, but said he believes there is wide support from Democrats for comprehensive reforms.
"We want to let the president know that here in Utah, people are concerned about this issue and want to do something about it," he said.
Among those Yapias has invited to participate in the rally is Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who helped drafted a resolution adopted by the Western Governor's Association that calls for better border security and a guest worker program for immigrants. It's unknown if Huntsman will participate.
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Information from: The Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
