Utah & Misguided Immigration Policy
There are several bills comming before the Utah House and Senate that represent a disturbing trend in “immigration reform.” These proposals, while popular with some conservatives appear to me to be unconstitutional. Immigration is a power specifically enumerated in the constitution as a federal jurisdiction and federal power. When Utah or any other state takes on the role of federal agent/enforcer we are not only setting a bad precendent, but we are also acting in violation of one of our most sacred national documents: the Constitution of the United States. The legislature’s efforts would be better spent on putting pressure on our federally elected officials to make the necessary changes to federal immigration policy. One example of this is Rep. Morgan’s proposal (HB 262) to seek reimbursement for costs the state sustains as a result of dealing with illegal immigration. This bill begins to hold the federal government responsible for their inaction and helps Utah deal with costs associated with a failed immigration policy.
