Huntsman to pitch immigration plan

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. will be in Washington, D.C., for all but the last 1 1/2 days of the 2006 Legislature to pitch his plan for dealing with immigration reform to other Western governors.

On Tuesday, Huntsman is scheduled to present a package of proposed reforms put together with the help of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to members of the Western Governors' Association.

The WGA has never tackled the controversial issue before, but last fall Huntsman talked them into at least considering adopting a position. He argued then that Western governors should have a say in whatever reforms Congress considers.

The issue of how best to deal with undocumented workers was first raised during Huntsman's visit to Mexico City last year to sell a trade, educational and cultural alliance between Utah and Mexico.

But Mexican leaders, including President Vicente Fox, wanted to discuss immigration reforms, so Huntsman made a pledge to them that he would bring up the issue with other Western governors and see what they'd be willing to back.

There is certainly interest among the border states in the WGA. Napolitano and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who are both Democrats, have declared a state of emergency along the Mexican border to help them secure federal funding to fight illegal immigration.

While the details of the proposed reforms have not been made public, Huntsman has said he was looking at including a guest-worker program, border security and a clearer definition of how foreign workers can become citizens.

Huntsman, who declined to discuss his proposals before Tuesday, told the Deseret Morning News Friday he believes he has the support of enough Western governors — including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California — to pass the proposal and begin lobbying Congress on immigration.

The Western governors will meet during the National Governors Association's winter meeting, a four-day session that begins Saturday. Huntsman will arrive in time for a dinner with President Bush that night.

He will stay through his presentation on Tuesday and plans to return to Utah later that day. The Legislature is set to adjourn at midnight Wednesday.

Huntsman said he'd considered cutting the trip short because of his ongoing negotiations with legislators over tax cuts and other budget issues. But with a compromise package in place Friday, he said he's comfortable leaving.

"I hate being away. I really do," the governor said. "If we hadn't wrapped everything up today, I was planning on going back just for a day."

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