Measure to repeal tuition break for illegals is back
It is now part of broader bill to limit assistance
It's now part of a comprehensive bill to limit government benefits to undocumented immigrants, which one Latino community activist is calling the "mother of all anti-immigration bills."
Along with repealing the in-state tuition law, HB437 would prohibit undocumented immigrants from accessing any state or local public service that is not required to be offered under federal law.
The bill is the latest of several pending this session that deal with illegal immigration.
"They hid it so well," said Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah. "That's what (Rep. Glenn) Donnelson meant when he said last week, 'It's not over until the session ends."'
Yapias was referring to when Donnelson, R-North Ogden, said last week that he'd try to bring back his bill that would repeal a law that allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition if they attend a Utah high school for three years and graduate. HB224 died on a tie vote.
Donnelson is also the original sponsor of HB437, which had previously been introduced only in short title. The bill's text was released, however, with Rep. Christopher Herrod, R-Provo, listed as the sponsor. Donnelson, who is now a co-sponsor of HB437, declined to comment on it saying he hadn't seen the final version.
"One of the saddest things I've seen in my life was at the U.S. embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, to see someone who was just denied a U.S. visa," Herrod said. "Unless you start with the premise that we accept everybody here all at once, everybody who is here illegally is taking someone else's place."
The measure requires any adult seeking a state or local public benefit to provide identification in the form of a Utah driver's license or state identification, military or military dependent card, U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card or a Native American tribal document. It also requires signing an affidavit stating the applicant is a U.S. citizen, legal permanent resident, or otherwise lawfully present.
It defines the benefits as "a grant, contract, loan, or license," along with "retirement, welfare, health, disability, public or assisted housing, postsecondary education, food assistance, or unemployment benefit or any other similar benefit."
The bill is similar to one enacted in Colorado last year. Karen McCreary, executive director of the ACLU of Utah, pointed to a Denver Post report that Colorado's law had cost the state $2 million, but had saved the state nothing.
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