"I think there is a certain segment that favors these types of harsh measures to deal with immigration problems," Jowers said. "However, I believe that past experience shows there's a majority seeking to take a more comprehensive and reasonable approach to dealing with all facets of this issue and the individuals involved."

But Eli Cawley, head of the Utah Minuteman Project, said he hopes lawmakers will take a close look at Hickman's bill and support it. As other Western states, such as Arizona and Colorado, move to "cut-off freebies," Utah is "more of a magnet now than it ever has been," Cawley said.

Another factor is the U.S. Senate's failure this summer to pass an immigration overhaul bill which would have created a way for millions of undocumented immigrants to earn legal status, Jowers said.

"Every failure by the federal government increases the urgency of the states to take their own measures," he said. "That's what happened in Oklahoma."

However, Jowers said, any viable solution must come from the federal government.

"This bill will certainly spur another serious debate about what Utah should do in the face of federal inaction," Jowers said. "We have to put the burden of illegal immigration back in the hands of our national congressmen so that, state by state, we don't have these issues."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com