Hispanic leaders call for appeal to Utah governor
Text 
SALT LAKE CITY -- Hispanic activists are urging citizens to call Utah's governor asking for a veto of an omnibus immigration bill that would create obstacles for undocumented immigrants looking for housing and jobs.
SB 81, sponsored by Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, is awaiting final passage in the Senate.
Hispanics considered a Capitol Hill rally to voice their opposition to the bill, but after a meeting of about 100 people Saturday decided instead to encourage contacting individual lawmakers and an appeal to Gov. Jon Huntsman.
"We must be very careful. It's easy to say let's march and rally, but we must be sensitive that some legislators don't want that," said Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah. "At some point we have to do something, but we must be cautious."
Yapias said Huntsman understands the impact such pressure on Hispanics would have on Utah.
"SB 81 is the mother of all immigration bills," Yapias said. "We need to be thankful to Gov. Huntsman. I think he understands what it would do to our economy and that immigration reform needs to be done at the federal level."
SB 81 would allow state and local police agencies to enforce federal immigration laws, force public employers and their contractors to verify a worker's immigration status, and make it a class A misdemeanor to transport or shelter undocumented immigrants. It would also force landlords to evict tenants who are in the U.S. illegally.
Salt Lake County Assessor Lee Gardner, also at the meeting, said that many from both political parties are working behind the scenes to educate lawmakers and encourage appropriate courses of action. He said the state could lose tens of millions in tax dollars if immigrants leave the state.
"Write your legislator and our governor expressing support for the veto," Gardner said.
Yapias said the Hispanic community must exhibit more responsible behavior to avoid causing the kinds of problems that trigger anti-immigration legislation. For example, cars should be licensed and insured, he said.
Attendee Alvaro Lopez said he came to the U.S. nearly 20 years ago to work and finds the anti-immigration effort confusing since business need both customers and cheap labor.
"I didn't come here because I wanted to, because I thought it would be fun. I came because I had to. I needed a better life for my family," he said.
Add Your Comment
Hey Pablo,
I hope your first in line for the bus ride home.