Lawmakers to consider immigration crackdown bill

Tom Callan and the AP reportingA bill that would make it tougher for illegal immigrants to get jobs and obtain public benefits is headed to a committee hearing in the state Legislature today.

An Oklahoma law is the model for the immigration bill proposed in Utah last week. The Oklahoma law is considered to represent one of the nation's toughest attitudes toward illegal immigration and has been the target of court challenges.

The Utah bill's sponsor, Senator Bill Hickman, a Republican from St. George, says the chance of legal repercussion won't dissuade him from pursuing a course he thinks is right.

Hickman's Senate Bill 81 would require public employers to use the federal e-verify program to check the legal status of potential employees starting on July 1, 2009. It would also repeal in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants effective May 1, 2010.

It also would relegate some immigration enforcement responsibilities to local authorities.

The bill comes before the Senate Government Operations Committee later this morning.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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