License bills decried

If anyone in Utah's Hispanic community likes a bill that would replace illegal immigrants' drivers' licenses with a drive-only permit that couldn't be used for identification, they haven't spoken up.

Some — including the Utah Hispanic Legislative Task Force — reluctantly support Sen. Curt Bramble's bill, believing legislators are determined to change Utah's driver's license law and that SB227 is the least harmful option.

That's not a popular position. Utah Republican Hispanic Assembly chairman and task force member Marco Diaz was recently shouted down when he tried to explain to a crowd of more than 200 people that while he doesn't like the bill either, it's better than the proposed alternatives.

HB330, sponsored by Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, would revoke undocumented immigrants' licenses altogether. HB316 and HB130, proposed by Rep. Aaron Tilton, R-Springville, would force undocumented immigrants to register for a database, pay a monthly fee and attend a class in order to drive.

Many in the Hispanic community political action committee RAZ PAC are organizing to lobby their legislators against passing SB227, saying it would lead to racial profiling and would strip undocumented immigrants of their IDs.

"Any of these bills do not help our community," said James Yapias, a member of RAZ PAC who is encouraging Latinos to try to sway legislators against all three options. After two nights of community meetings, the Latinos are planning to meet with legislators at the Capitol today.

"It's very, very hard," said Luz Robles, Democratic co-chairwoman of the task force, who says she is also concerned about the bill.

Robles noted a few task force members, including Yapias, left following the vote. Yapias, however, has denied any recent involvement in the task force.

Robles said the task force was formed last year to counteract an attempt to repeal a state law allowing illegal immigrants to get drivers' licenses using Internal Revenue Service-issued tax identification numbers.

This year's efforts to repeal that law come in the wake of an audit that determined "Utah is being used as a portal for undocumented aliens living out of the state to obtain driver licenses . . . some undocumented aliens may be using the driver license application process to register to vote."

Bramble's bill has the support of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Senate and House leadership.

Donnelson said he'll likely bring his bill before lawmakers only if Bramble's fails.

And that's what Robles, Diaz and other task force members are afraid of.

"What I've been hearing from our elected officials is this is a done deal," Robles said. "The audit created such a big damage. . . . (Bramble's bill is) better than losing the whole thing."

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