Each year the Legislature presents and passes hundreds of bills. Some of the bills deal with budget appropriations, but the vast majority contain changes to public policy. Constituents often ask me why we need more laws or where the genesis for a particular bill might have started. As a legislator, it is always good to reflect at the beginning of the session on the bills we have passed and their effectiveness before introducing something new.
I often like to check up on former bills and see if they have had the positive effects intended in their creation. One bill that I have particularly enjoyed watching is from the 2009 General Session, House Bill 64, Deterring Illegal Immigration. In 2009, the Legislature was engaged in a very difficult public policy debate about illegal immigration and some of the more negative societal impacts of this issue. Together with Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, we crafted HB 64. This bill created a multi-agency strike force that would target violent criminal offenses related to illegal immigration, such as murder, rape, drug trafficking and human trafficking.
Earlier in the week, I asked Ken Wallentine, Chief of Law Enforcement for the Attorney General's Office how HB 64 and the SECURE strike force were doing. He suggested that I review the impact that bill was having in person and invited me to ride along on Thursday night's mission to execute a search and seizure warrant on a suspected illegal document mill. The mission resulted in six arrests, all of which are suspected to be illegal aliens. The officers seized a large quantity of drugs (suspected to be methamphetamine and heroine), illegal identity documents (Social Security cards, drivers licenses, Mexican Consular Identification cards), and a number of weapons.
I am incredibly impressed with the execution and professionalism of our law enforcement officials. It was an honor to watch them at work up close. I have such respect for these men and women. As I watched the operation unfold, it was heartbreaking to see the impact to the children in the apartment. There were many victims in this situation, but this particular operation will never arise again.
The SECURE strike force focuses on major organized crime groups within the undocumented immigrant community. To date, the strike force has seized thousands of fraudulent identification documents, drugs, and guns. Two hundred eighty suspects have been arrested in cases covering nine counties. The street value of the drugs that the strike force has taken off the streets since its inception exceeds $3.4 million. Two illegal immigrant gun trafficking operations have been shut down and one of the nation's largest clandestine piracy factories was raided in a major joint operation with the FBI and RIAA special investigators.
I couldn't be more pleased with the results from this bill. Immigration policy is a somewhat difficult area to navigate because of the interplay between the powers of the federal government and the powers of the state. The doctrine of preemption grants primacy to the federal government on immigration issues. However there are some areas, like this strike force, where the state does have the ability to effect positive change on this issue.
When I think about the success of HB64, I feel good about the volume of bills to be reviewed and debated this year. In this mix of bills, are more ideas like this one that will have positive impacts on our communities. We should never stop looking for those bills that will improve things because of the perception that we don't need or want more laws or regulations. Everything can be improved upon and everyone ought to feel empowered to reach out to their legislator with ideas as to what we can do better.
Brad Dee is the House Majority Leader. He represents House District 11, which covers portions of Davis and Weber counties.
Comments