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.
Rep. Mark Wheatley, D-Murray, said the bill does not address root reasons behind illegal immigration, such as illegal immigrants seeking jobs. It does nothing but put a Band-Aid on the problem, he said, "yet the sore and blisters fester under the Band-Aid." He added, "It is a discriminatory bill."
Rep. Brian King, D-Salt Lake, also said that Utah has no power to deport illegal immigrants and must work with federal officials no matter what is passed.
During the rallies after the hearing, Sandstrom spoke — surrounded by about a dozen supportive Republican legislators. Opponents marched for their own rally nearby, singing "We Shall Overcome" and "This land is your land, this land is my land."
"Every safeguard has been put into this bill to ensure that people are treated fairly and in a compassionate manner. But that does not mean we don't enforce the rule of law in our state," Sandstrom told his rally.
Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, told Sandstrom and about 100 ralliers, "We stand with you, and we stand for the rule of law."
Michael Sanches with the Utah Minuteman Project told the rally that the bill "will work toward ending human trafficking, migrant smuggling, identity theft, document fraud and job theft, which ultimately hurts all citizens, including Hispanic residents living here legally."
Gayle Ruzicka, president of the conservative Utah Eagle Forum, said, "We must protect our families from the very real crime coming across Utah's borders in the form of drugs, prostitution and human trafficking."
Of course, many Hispanic groups and leaders also have been outspoken in opposition to the bill — including Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake, who has still been working with Sandstrom on possible compromise. She has blasted Sandstrom's bill as unconstitutional and expensive.
In another example, the Salt Lake City Brown Berets issued a statement before the hearing, saying that the bill will cause more problems than solutions and that it fails "to attack the real issues: racist, inhumane, illogical proposed legislation and policies."
During the same meeting in which Sandstrom's bill was discussed, the committee also heard a report from a multiagency task force created last year to combat felonies associated with illegal immigration and human trafficking.
Kirk Torgensen, deputy Utah attorney general, said the strike force has conducted 165 investigations in its first year and made 69 arrests for major crimes.
He said about half the cases involve forgery and fraud from selling false Social Security cards and drivers' licenses. Other cases involve sex offenses, weapons charges, money laundering, gambling, drugs and human trafficking.
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