Hispanics are pushing for a veto

Leaders dislike bill but hesitate to call for a rally

With only a week and a half left in the legislative session, Hispanic community leaders are urging people to call and write to Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. requesting he veto the omnibus immigration bill, SB81.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, creates obstacles against undocumented immigrants finding jobs or public benefits. Many Hispanic supporters are enraged and fearful at the implications of the proposal, but Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah, stopped short of calling for a public demonstration.

"We must be very careful. It's easy to say let's march and rally, but we must be sensitive that some legislators don't want that," he said. "At some point we have to do something, but we must be cautious."

Yapias and Raul Lopez Varga, vice president of Centro Civico Mexicano, co-led a meeting on Saturday attended by dozens of people at the Centro Civico to discuss the most appropriate action for the community to take.

"SB81 is the mother of all immigration bills," Yapias said. "We need to be thankful to Gov. Huntsman. I think he understands what it would do to our economy and that immigration reform needs to be done at the federal level."

The telephone number of the governor's office was distributed, and attendees were told to voice their support of a veto. But Yapias warned the audience that past demonstrations made some people fearful of immigrants and might do more harm than good. He said that last year's Latino Service Day was more effective at garnering public support for the community and encouraged everyone to attend another one on May 17.

Salt Lake County Assessor Lee Gardner was also in attendance and told the audience, in Spanish, that many people in both parties were working behind the scenes to educate lawmakers about appropriate courses of action.

"Write your legislator and our governor expressing support for the veto," he advised. Gardner said he believes the state would lose out on tens of millions of tax dollars if immigrants decided to leave the state.

Attendee Alvaro Lopez during the public comment period said he is confused by anti-immigration activists since Utah's stores need customers and the nation needs cheap labor. Lopez said he came to America 20 years ago and has raised his family here.

"I didn't come here because I wanted to, because I thought it would be fun. I came because I had to. I needed a better life for my family," he said.

Attendee Ricardo Hernandez said he sometimes feels like his dog has more rights than immigrants. He said his church teaches compassion but it seems like most of the time people express more compassion for animals.

"We have rights in God's eyes, and the Legislature needs to respect that," he said.

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