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SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Senate will take on immigration reform Friday with a proposed bill that includes a pathway to citizenship. As of Wednesday night, both Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee, Republicans in Utah, say they're reviewing the bill.
The debate has evolved, especially in Utah. It's safe to say there is more pressure from community leaders locally to start saying "yes" to immigration reform. Community leaders in Salt Lake have a direct message about immigration reform: Do it.
"The entire public has spoken and said, 'We want you to fix this,' " said Tim Wheelwright, immigration attorney.
That may be true, but there is still a fight underway over the Senate's "gang of eight" proposal, released Tuesday. It calls for things like more security along the U.S./Mexico border, priority for more skilled immigrant workers, and a path to citizenship for immigrants.
The entire public has spoken and said 'we want you to fix this.'
–Tim Wheelwright, immigration attorney
As of Wednesday, Hatch's staff say the senator wants to study the bill. Lee reiterated statements from Monday, where he objected to the size of the proposal.
"If what you want to do is kill any chance for comprehensive immigration reform, then the way to do that is insist that it all be done at once," Lee said.
But Wednesday, there was criticism of that point of view.
"Don't kill this effort. It has to be done, the time is now," said Mark Shurtleff, former attorney general of Utah. "It's perfect timing. It has to be done, and it ought to be done before Memorial Day."
Shurtleff, along with leaders from the Salt Lake Chamber, Bishop John Wester and others in The Partnership for a New American Economy, worked to apply pressure on the Senate to act.
If what you want to do is kill any chance for comprehensive immigration reform, then the way to do that is insist that it all be done at once.
–Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah
"The current system doesn't benefit anybody," said Jason Mathis from the Salt Lake Downtown Alliance. "It's de facto amnesty. People are here working in the shadows. Unscrupulous people are hiring them."
Even though momentum seems to be building to do something, it's still not going to be a fast process. It may also continue to be a painful one as the debate unfolds.
