SALT LAKE CITY — Rep. Stephen Sandstrom insisted Thursday that changes he made to his enforcement-only illegal immigration bill don't water it down.

The Orem Republican announced revisions to HB70 that he says would still remove illegal immigrants from Utah and discourage others from coming to the state. At the same time, he said it will give local police agencies more latitude in enforcing the proposed law.

"This is and still will be a deterrent for people to come into the state of Utah illegally," he said at a news conference.

A revised version of the bill requires police officers to verify the legal status of people detained for class A misdemeanor and felony offenses if the officer has "reasonable suspicion" they are in the country illegally. Officers would not have to check the status of those suspected of class B and class C misdemeanors.

The previous version of the bill called for police to verify the immigration status of everyone they stop.

"We're trying to catch the criminal element in the community. That's the ones we want the most," Sandstrom said.

The new bill also bases "reasonable suspicion" on the absence of a Utah driver's license or other valid forms of government-issue identification.

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Sandstrom sad the changes would "significantly" reduce local government enforcement costs, but he did not provide new figures.

Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah, said he wasn't impressed with the changes.

"It's just been dressed up in a new dress with a different color but it's still the same," he said, adding that it gives police the option to "pick and choose" who they detain. "Even if it's just a minor offense, they may or may not take the soccer mom to jail."

Yapias said opponents of the bill will be out in force Friday when the bill is scheduled for its first legislative hearing in the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee.

Members of the Utah Minuteman Project and the Utah Coalition on Illegal Immigration stood alongside Sandstrom touting the new legislation. Local government leaders and the Utah League of Cities and Towns, both of whom have raised questions about the estimated $5 million to $11 million annual cost to enforce the law, did not attend.

"Many would accuse me of watering down the bill. I would say that presumption is inaccurate," he said.

Sandstrom said he consulted with those immigrations groups, police chiefs, Gov. Gary Herbert and the governor's staff before revising the bill. He also said he "briefed" The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in recent weeks.

"I've never been told they're supportive and I've never been told they're not supportive," he said of the church.

Sandstrom said the governor told him he is comfortable with the bill and appreciates the changes, but stopped short of saying he would sign it if it passes. He said he now has 33 co-sponsors in the House and expressed confidence in the bill passing.

"I like the changes. I like that he gives more discretion to our law enforcement people," House Speaker Becky Lockhart, R-Provo said, praising the "positive tone" of the new language that relies on trained officers to determine when checks are needed.

Both Lockhart and House Majority Leader Brad Dee, R-Ogden, acknowledged the bill may not go far in the Senate, where the GOP majority is committed to putting together an omnibus immigration bill. Republican senators were scheduled to get into the meat of the illegal immigration issue at Thursday's caucus, but only touched on it briefly and made no decisions.

"It remains to be seen," Lockhart said. "I think we'll come to some sort of agreement."

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Story written by Dennis Romboy with contributions from Lisa Riley Roche.

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Photo: Laura Seitz, Deseret News

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