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SALT LAKE CITY -- The broad outlines of legislation to address illegal immigration are starting to come into focus at the state Capitol -- so too are the battle lines over this most contentious of issues.
One key question is whether lawmakers think the state should establish its own guest worker program. Some think it's key to any plan; others reject it, seeing it as "amnesty" for those undocumented people here already.
There are an estimated 110,000 undocumented people living in Utah. Earlier this week, a bipartisan pair of lawmakers unveiled a plan to deal with them. It requires undocumented immigrants to get a work permit, learn English, be fingerprinted, pass a criminal background check and pay a fee.
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Doctors who provide required medical care to illegal immigrants would be able to seek reimbursement under a bill being considered in the Utah Legislature."I think at the end of the day we wanted to make sure that we brought a pragmatic solution to a very complicated issue -- and we think this is a solution to that," Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake, said during a Wednesday press conference.
Rep. Steve Sandstrom, R-Orem, proposes an Arizona-style enforcement-only bill, while Rep. Chris Herrod, R-Provo, wants to penalize businesses that hire illegal immigrants knowingly. Both regard a guest worker program as "amnesty."
"For me, the dividing gulf is what to do with those that are here illegally," Herrod said. "If we're going to grant amnesty, I can't support it because I've seen those individuals around the world that are waiting 19, 20 years to have somebody just come along. Like I say, I don't think that will solve the problem."
Meanwhile, Senate leaders are backing a comprehensive, omnibus approach, which they regard as "the only way."
"Our caucus would like to see a number of issues covered rather than just enforcement, or just amnesty, or just employer-based," said Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville.
U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch spoke to Utah lawmakers Friday, telling them he sympathizes with their efforts on immigration. But he stopped short of saying whether the federal government could or would support a Utah guest worker program.
"I can't blame any state for saying, 'Hey, you've gone too far. We don't like what you're doing and we want to change it.' I'll have to look at any piece of legislation to see if I could support it." Hatch said.
You can expect the debate on this issue to really gain steam next week. That's when some of the first floor votes are scheduled for many of Utah's immigration bills.
E-mail: jdaley@ksl.com
