Utah Legislator Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, is drafting a bill similar to Arizona's illegal immigration bill that was signed into law last month by Governor Jan Brewer.
The bill would require Utah's law enforcement officers to ask for proof of citizenship if they had reason to believe an individual was in the state illegally. It would also punish business owners who hire illegal immigrants.
Sandstrom posted a statement on his website outlining his stance on illegal immigration. "Not only am I doing something about the problem of illegal immigration in Utah, I am one of the state's leaders on this issue, having sponsored or co-sponsored nearly every piece of legislation to counter illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is negatively impacting our society and economy. I am committed to reversing this damaging trend," he wrote.
After Brewer signed the new law a month ago, Sandstrom said he would "look to sponsor the exact legislation." He praised Arizona lawmakers, saying the law was needed. He believes it's time for state legislators to take action since many of Arizona's illegal immigrants will try to seek refuge in Utah.
He also said that Utahns are paying $100 million a year to educate children from illegal families. An illegal immigration law could help with the state's budget problems.
Tony Yapias, the director of Proyecto Latino de Utah, calls Arizona's new immigration law "a slap in the face to Latinos." When Governor Jan Brewer signed the new law, he issued a press release, advising Latinos to avoid traveling in the state of Arizona. "Most of our families have to go back on their way to Mexico to visit, or when they vacation they drive through Arizona," he said.
Yapias believes that racial profiling will be a problem in Arizona and could be a problem for Utahns if similar legislation passes. "This proposed law is racist. This proposed law is anti-immigration, anti-Latino," he said, according to ABC4 news.
But Sandstrom disagrees, saying that the bill will prohibit racial profiling. "Illegal is not a race, it's a condition so it has nothing to do with your race," he said. If the bill passes, the law could be implemented as early as January or February of 2011.
Sandstrom was elected to Utah's House of Representatives in 2006. He served on the Orem City Council prior to representing House District 58 which includes North Orem, Lindon, and Southeast Pleasant Grove. In March, he announced that he will be seeking re-election.
The state of Arizona has faced tremendous opposition since the passing of the new immigration law. Civil rights leaders have called for a boycott of Arizona and its products. Last week, city officials in Los Angeles voted to boycott Arizona. The move prompted an Arizona utilities commissioner to threaten to cut power to their city.
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin recently demonstrated her support for Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and the immigration law. She slammed President Obama, saying "Mr. President, do your job, secure our border." For more on that story, click here.
Sources: KSL news, ABC4 news, and StephenSandstrom.com
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Comments
GO UTAH!!! you need to get tough on these unwelcome criminal illegals. Why criminals? because they broke the law knowingly and willingly. In of life there are two ways of doing things, the RIGHT WAY and the WRONG WAY. Illegals CHOOSE the WRONG WAY. Send them back where they came from, enough already, the buck stops here. Tell them to go demand things to their own Presidents back home.
i agree with law abiding citizens, how come i followed the rules and 13 millions don't? the photos above are pitiful, every time the scumbags have no argument they pull the race card. utah, you need to clean up house TODAY!!!
So the illegals threatened Senator Sandstorm? Don't put up with it, get FBI help in finding them, jail time first, then deport them! We don't need those fools telling us what we can and cannot do in OUR OWN country! It's bad enough Obooboo telling us how to run our states!!
Let me tell u something that most of us don't know [don't tell Obama!] President Eisenhower deported 11,000,000 illegals, it took him 2 yrs! Just enough time for OUR President to do his job! Be tough, not sorry for them, with them come TERRORISTS, why do u say that ? A manual on how to make a bomb in Arabic was found in the desert in Arizona! An illegal Mexican dropped it or was it a someone on the way to join a sleeper cell! We in Texas are writing our Arizona style law too!! Oh! How I love that Perry guy!
Get going Senators Sandstorm and Herrod! We the people are behind u! Enough Already!!!
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