The Utah legislative session is always full of surprises. Some bills make sense. Others don’t. And some are so far off the mark that you wonder if they were introduced by living beings. The Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act (House Bill 237) is a bill that rises into this level of stupendous wonder.
Introduced by North Ogden’s Rep. Glenn Donnelson, this bill would deputize local and state law enforcement officers as de-facto Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, complete with the power of deportation. What next, the local cops pulling you over not for speeding but for questions about your tax return? This is just another short sighted xenophobic attempt to address illegal immigration.
The solution to illegal immigration isn’t to burden police officers with what should be federal powers, but comprehensive immigration reform that Congress has failed to enact.
Donnelson believes this bill is an effort to stem Utah’s so-called illegal immigration crisis. But the question that needs to be asked is, where is this immigration crisis?
For a red state, we sure do see a lot of black. 2006 brought a bounty of a surplus to the tune of $241 million. 2007 ballooned to $308 million, and this year’s surplus is estimated to be $400 million. With a nationwide recession looming, Utah’s economy is not suffering but thriving. Surely, Utah’s estimated 100,000 undocumented immigrants play a vital part in making our vibrant economy what it is.
Besides his charged rhetoric, Donnelson claims to have the backing of officers statewide. Yet, he couldn’t utter a single law enforcement group that supported HB 237 in an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune.
Instead of support, local police officers are coming out against the bill. Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank labeled the bill “counterproductive” and said that “it will have a chilling effect on our community.” Think about undocumented immigrants who are victims or witnesses to a crime. Would they be willing to speak up at the risk of deportation? Would you be willing to take the chance? I certainly don’t think I could.
In an ironic twist, Donnelson’s bill seems poised to endorse, if not increase, crime and criminal behavior rather than put an end to it. In addition, law enforcement agencies will struggle with the extra burden without the added resources and finances while the already crowded jails fill up with otherwise law-abiding undocumented immigrants. Burbank already noted that several times ICE agents have been called to pick up undocumented criminals but simply couldn’t respond because of a lack of resources.
The prospect of overburdening local governments and the risk of instilling fear in immigrant communities are just two reasons that Utah and an overwhelming majority of other states rejected a similar agreement with ICE under the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act, also called a 287(g). This agreement allows any state or local law enforcement to request a partnership with ICE but just a handful of jurisdictions took up the offer. Donnelson’s bill is rehashing what Utah law enforcement agencies have already determined to be counterproductive.
It seems Donnelson’s goal is to spread his anti-immigration biases throughout the Legislature. Throughout his political career, he has introduced a slew of anti-immigration bills, including yearly attempts at repealing in-state tuition for undocumented students. Maybe Donnelson missed the memo from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints urging compassion, not retribution. Regardless, HB 237 puts a strain on already overburdened local governments and law enforcement agencies while instilling fear in immigrant communities. For these reasons the Legislature needs to show leadership in rejecting HB 237.