Utah County GOP delegate links illegal immigration to Satan

The devil is sticking his pitchfork into the nation's immigration politics.

At least that's what one of Utah County's Republican delegates thinks.

Don Larsen, a district chairman, has submitted a resolution equating illegal immigration to "Satan's plan to destroy the U.S. by stealth invasion" for debate at Saturday's Utah County Republican Party Convention.

Referring to a plan by the devil for a "New World Order ... as predicted in the Scriptures," the resolution calls for the Utah County Republican Party to support "closing the national borders to illegal immigration to prevent the destruction of the U.S. by stealth invasion."

In part, the resolution states, "There are ways to destroy a nation other than with bombs or bullets. The mostly quiet and unspectacular invasion of illegal immigrants does not focus the attention of the nation the way open warfare does but is all the more insidious for its stealth and innocuousness."

Larsen did not immediately return Deseret Morning News phone calls for comment.

"I don't think you'd find very many Republicans to suggest that the devil is involved in the immigration issue," said Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo, who is serving as convention chairman. "I don't think you'll find much support for that sentiment."

Bramble said the resolution is the only such proposal that was submitted before the deadline to be debated at this year's convention. It's at the end of the agenda, and Bramble said sometimes it's hard to find a quorum of delegates at the end of the day.

However, Bramble — who in 2005 sponsored a then-controversial measure to replace drivers' licenses of illegal immigrants with driving privilege cards that can't be used as state identification — said the resolution could be brought up.

If that happens, Bramble said, it likely would spark a discussion among delegates about how they'd like to see the party handle the issue of immigration.

"I think you'd find the majority of Republicans, and frankly the majority of Democrats, saying illegal immigration is not healthy for this country, the immigration system is broken and Congress has been an abject failure," he said. "The debate is how to address illegal immigration in the country, what is an acceptable proposal for a solution."

Joe Hunter, chief of staff for Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, declined comment on the resolution. Cannon, whose district includes Utah County, has been drawn into primary battles on two occasions because of his vocal support for comprehensive immigration reform.

One of Cannon's key critics, Mike Sizer, a convention delegate and spokesman for the anti-illegal immigration group Utahns for Immigration Reform and Enforcement, said, "The vast, vast majority of the delegates are very logical. They are concerned about the issue. They don't want amnesty. ... I've never heard of (illegal immigration) as far as Satan's plan."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com