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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Utah legislator's proposed immigration bill, set to be unveiled Friday, is already sparking a strong reaction from the Latino community.
We often times hear in our community, on Sundays we're brothers and sisters. But on Monday through Saturday, we're looking for someone to deport. That's not the attitude we should be taking in Utah.
–Tony Yapias
A coalition of groups spoke out at a news conference Thursday, where they urged Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, to drop his bill altogether.
Sandstrom's bill has been in the spotlight for months. He has said that it's patterned after Arizona's immigration bill, but includes some important changes.
Even with those changes, Latino leaders say the bill will spark division, hostility and fear in Utah -- deeper than what already exists between immigrants and the rest of the population. That's why they simply want lawmakers to drop the bill and put pressure on the federal government take it on.
Activist Tony Yapias even went a step further, calling on Sandstrom and other legislators who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to listen to Church leaders and avoid a bill that could create problems.
"We often times hear in our community, on Sundays we're brothers and sisters," Yapias said. "But on Monday through Saturday, we're looking for someone to deport. That's not the attitude we should be taking in Utah."
Archie Archuleta with the Utah Coalition of La Raza says the bill will only encourage intolerance. "Rep. Sandstrom is right now playing the part of an incendiary," he said. "That is, a firebug. This hatred that's coming out on immigration law is a fire. Right now it's a low fire, but it's building."
The group also says the immigration issue is not something for the state of Utah to take on, insisting it's a federal issue.
- Traffic stop: OK to question immigration status
- Way for state employees to report fraud
- Not illegal to solicit employment in public places
- No guest worker program
"Federal law would preempt most if not all of these proposals," said attorney Mark Alvarez. "State action would be at best misguided. Reform must be national."
But most lawmakers are unmoved by arguments that the state should wait for Congress to act.
Related:
Immigration chief: 'We're going to get this right'
The director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says the federal government has deported more illegal immigrants from the U.S. than ever before."This country was founded on the rule of law. And if we're not willing to maintain the rule of law, the purpose of this country is thrown to the wind," said Senate President Michael Waddoups.
Sandstrom is not backing down. In fact, there is considerable pressure for him to move forward with his bill, which he's been drafting for months.
Sandstrom has no plans to drop his bill. It will be unveiled publicly Friday.
Sandstrom has said in the past that it is patterned after Arizona's law. It empowers law enforcement to take action on illegals, but Utah's bill has some technical language changes in it.
The bill will turn up the heat on the already simmering immigration debate.
"He needs to take responsibility for any tension, hatred, hostility that comes out because of his law, or any other legislators who sponsor similar immigration laws in this state," Yapias said.
No one from the Legislature has commented on Friday's press conference.
E-mail: rpiatt@ksl.com
