Defeat immigration measures

The anti-immigration train on Utah's Capitol Hill appears to have a head of steam. Of particular concern are bills that would revoke the driver privilege card and the in-state tuition rate now afforded to undocumented students who graduate from Utah high schools after living here three years.

Regular readers of this page know our objections to these proposals. Our opposition is grounded in practicality. But we are increasingly concerned about the effects of anti-immigrant sentiment. In some states, curbs on illegal immigration, a weakening economy and a palpable anti-immigrant bias are leading to an exodus of undocumented workers and their families.

Advocates for cracking down on illegal immigrants may consider this phenomenon a victory. The true result has been labor shortages, particularly in the agriculture sector. These laws have not only affected undocumented workers. Many Hispanic families include people with mixed immigration status. If one person is threatened, they may all move to friendlier environs, according to a recent New York Times report on Arizona's experience.

Utah, thus far, is bucking the nation's economic funk. But the state has a very low unemployment rate. At the same time, the state is poised for a massive redevelopment project in Salt Lake City's downtown. Light-rail expansions are in the planning stages. The west side of the Salt Lake Valley is primed for future housing development. Who will perform this work? Who will perform service-sector jobs?

Aside from economics, there are pragmatic reasons that eliminating driver privilege cards is a bad idea. The cards helps ensure drivers are proficient, understand Utah traffic safety laws and have insurance. A legislative audit found that 75 percent of driving privilege card holders insure their vehicles, compared to 81 percent of licensed drivers. This law provides a reasonable compromise between requirements of federal regulation and the state's public safety needs. It should stand.

So should the law that extends in-state tuition rates to undocumented students. These students comprise less than 1 percent of all students in state colleges and universities. They are students who have defied the extremely high dropout rate among Hispanics. Utah should reward their initiative, talents and intellect.

Quite obviously, state lawmakers across the country are attempting to legislate immigration matters because of a lack of leadership from Washington, D.C. For many reasons — one being fear of the loud anti-immigrant lobby — Congress has essentially punted on this issue. The result has been a patchwork quilt of laws, many of which are short-sighted and full of unintended consequences. Utah should resist going down the same path.