Rep. Stephen Sandstrom promotes immigration enforcement bill to interim committee

SALT LAKE CITY — Rep. Stephen Sandstrom on Wednesday began his formal drive to push his tough immigration enforcement bill through the Legislature, telling an interim committee that Utah cannot wait for federal action.

"The federal government has utterly failed to protect its citizens. The immigration system is broken," Sandstrom, R-Orem, told the Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee. The committee discussed the bill but took no action on it.

"We must protect our state," Sandstrom said. "We're going to take this issue and make it a state issue. We have the constitutional authority to do so."

Sandstrom brought several friendly witnesses to the committee, and the only questioning came from critical Democrats. The issue was at the end of a long agenda, and the committee ran out of time before it could take public comment.

Polite rallies for and against the bill followed on the Capitol steps — sometimes with protesters from both sides debating face to face.

Sandstrom's bill, like a controversial Arizona law, would require law enforcement officials to ask about the immigration status of people they stop for other violations if they have "reasonable suspicion" that the people are in the country illegally. It also requires the state to ensure people are here legally if they apply for any state benefits.

"When we become a nation that does not follow the rule of law, the freedoms we hold dear will be lost," Sandstrom told the committee.

Sandstrom had Arturo Morales, now a U.S. citizen who was born in Mexico, testify on his behalf. He said many Latinos support the bill — even though almost all formal Hispanic groups have opposed it.

"It is not an Hispanic issue. It is an illegal issue," Morales said. He added, "I do not believe the Hispanic community speaks with just one voice. ... We ask everyone to follow and obey the rule of law."

Morales said he has seen illegal immigration drive down wages, hurt businesses that play by the rules and hurt people whose identities have been stolen. "What do I tell them: 'OK, we have to be compassionate to those who stole your ID?' "

He added, "We have to remove the welcome mat for illegal immigrants."

Ginger Dixon, who is Hispanic and a third-generation U.S. citizen, also testified for Sandstrom, saying: "(Illegal immigrants) came here illegally. They knew they were doing wrong. ... Even the anchor babies (U.S.-born citizen children of illegal-immigrant parents) should go. We all have consequences to our actions."

Meanwhile, some Democratic legislators criticized Sandstrom's bill in the brief questioning allowed during the hearing.