"It doesn't surprise me that a significant number of ID cards' mailing addresses came back undeliverable," Bramble said. "That seems intuitive, given what we found because of the audit. . . . The issue was resolved through (SB227)."

Information wasn't immediately available on how many people had both a state ID and a driver's license. McCleve said as the driver's license expiration notes are sent out over the next year, public safety will also check for repeated return addresses.

State auditors found more than 58,000 individuals who appear to be undocumented were issued licenses and another 37,000 were issued state ID cards. That's fewer than the public safety totals.

Latino community activist Tony Yapias said he's not surprised that so many letters would be returned, especially since many undocumented workers have seasonal jobs such as farming or construction.

"People move around a lot. That's one of the biggest factors in our community," he said. "We have people that move depending on where the jobs are, even if it's within the valley. . . . They try to live near where their employment places are."

Utahns for Immigration Reform and Enforcement board member Russell Sias said the investigation like the audit "fits with what we understand is happening. People are arriving here, getting their paperwork in order, and leaving for another state with a bonafide driver's license."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com