Immigration

WASHINGTON -- The bipartisan coalition behind a contentious overhaul of immigration laws stuck together on a critical early series of test votes Thursday, turning back challenges from conservative critics as the Senate Judiciary Committee refined legislation to secure the borders and grant eventual citizenship to millions living in the United States illegally.

SAN DIEGO — Tens of thousands of people are expected to rally in dozens of cities from New York to Bozeman, Mont., on Wednesday in what has become an annual cry for easing the nation’s immigration laws.

PHOENIX — Volunteers set up a table outside a music festival one day last month to gather signatures for a drive to oust the notoriously polarizing sheriff of metropolitan Phoenix. The venue, with its largely liberal crowd, seemed the perfect place to drum up support.

But it didn’t take long for fans of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to show up and deliver a heckling. “Free handouts for illegal immigrants,” one of the sheriff’s backers intoned as other sign-carrying supporters raised their voices to try and drown out those of Arpaio’s opponents.

OGDEN — Victor Villalvazo slid groceries past the scanner at the checkout line of Rancho Market on Thursday afternoon. His tall, thin frame moved quickly from one item to the next with each beep of the scanner. Later that night the 20-year-old would study for his pre-med classes at Weber State University, but for the remainder of his shift, he bagged groceries and greeted customers.

WASHINGTON -- Thousands of immigrants and activists rallied nationwide Wednesday in a coordinated set of protests aimed at pressing Congress to approve immigration measures that would grant 11 million immigrants living here illegally a path toward citizenship.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Eight chamber of commerce presidents from across Utah, including those in Davis and Weber counties, have come together to urge Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform this year.

The chamber presidents emphasized the growing consensus that Congress must, this year, modernize the nation’s immigration system in order to continue to attract the best and brightest and ensure the country has enough workers to sustain the economy and remain competitive.

PHOENIX -- On the political map of the Southwest, Arizona stands out.

Most of its neighbors - California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada - are independent-minded states that once leaned Republican but are trending Democratic, partly because of increasing numbers of Hispanic voters alienated from the GOP by its tough stance on illegal immigration.

But not Arizona.