Cannon says states should play big role in immigration reform

Rep. Chris Cannon said Thursday that states should consider immigration reform.

"The states have a role," Cannon, R-Utah, said during a meeting with the editorial board of the Deseret Morning News. "The states decide who gets a (driver's) license. The states decide about in-state tuition. The states have the right to enter into a program with the federal government to enforce immigration laws with Immigration and Customs Enforcement."

The six-term Republican said the federal government's job is to secure the nation's borders and consider comprehensive immigration reform that includes consideration of the Social Security taxes collected from illegal immigrants.

Cannon voted for the construction of a fence on the U.S.-Mexico border and said it has been successful because it is creating sharper conflict in Mexico, where President Felipe Calderon "is doing a good job" fighting the war on drugs.

Cannon characterized the conflict as a civil war that has claimed the lives of 2,000 Mexican police officers.

"Texas can't protect its border," he said. "That is a federal problem. It's the burden of the federal government to come up with a system that works. The wall is a good idea, but we need to decide how to order our society to accept the people who will come for jobs because their children are suffering from malnutrition."

Cannon said Utah college presidents tell him the marginal cost for the small number of children of undocumented workers allowed to pay in-state tuition is low enough to not be a problem for their schools.

That angers some people out of state who want the same benefit for their children, and Cannon said the state might want to reconsider the entire in-state tuition program.

He expressed understanding for the anger he encounters over the illegal immigration issue because it involves broken laws and, he said, the rule of law is what allows Americans to enjoy a free society.

Cannon said he appreciated the visit of Elder Marlin K. Jensen of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Capitol Hill.

"Saying we should be compassionate is helpful," Cannon said. "We've got a lot of angry people, and when you're angry, it's hard to be compassionate."

He contended that most Americans actually agree on immigration issues.