Utah immigration debate set ahead of Legislature

SALT LAKE CITY — The head of a conservative think tank and a GOP state lawmaker sponsoring an Arizona-style immigration bill are planning an immigration debate before the 2011 Utah Legislature begins.

Sutherland Institute President Paul Mero will serve today as captain of a team of public figures arguing that Utah shouldn't enforce federal immigration laws.

Mero's team will include Republican Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and state Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake City.

Mero told The Associated Press that the debate could serve as the opening salvo in what is expected to be a contentious battle during the upcoming legislative session.

The Utah Legislature convenes Monday.

The Sutherland Institute is backing a proposal by Robles that would give illegal immigrants the opportunity to live and work in the state. They would be required to register with the state, as would their employers.

Mero said that state leaders should deal with the illegal immigrants who are already living and working in Utah, instead of usurping federal enforcement powers.

"We know federal policy is broken," Mero said. "We don't want a state policy based on broken ideas and broken laws. Let's make everyone living here accountable, at least until the system is fixed."

Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, will lead a team that supports the enforcement of federal immigration law by state authorities.

His team will include Republican Rep. Chris Herrod of Provo and Ron Mortenson of the Utah Coalition on Illegal Immigration.

Sandstrom is sponsoring a bill that includes a requirement that police, while enforcing other laws, question people's immigration status if officers have reasonable suspicion they're in the country illegally.

Arizona's law also requires police to only question people when they're enforcing another law. But unlike Arizona's law, Sandstrom's bill specifies that passengers in a vehicle can only be questioned about their status if an officer has reasonable suspicion they may be involved in the smuggling or transportation of illegal immigrants.

Sandstrom did not return a phone call from The Associated Press on Thursday.

A panel of journalists will moderate the debate at Thanksgiving Point.