SB81, the new immigration law recently passed in Utah is scheduled to take effect later this summer. The law, which is based on the Oklahoma immigration law, has many critics. Immigration attorneys with AILA, an immigration lawyer group, will file a lawsuit, claiming at least four of the provision of the law are unconstitutional.
For example, the law requires proof of US citizenship in order to get a driver’s license or state ID. Immigration lawyers claim this is bad because it encourages people to hide. The law also requires companies that do business with the government to use the E-verify system. However, immigration attorneys claim the system is unreliable and unfairly targets only a portion of businesses. The law also allows local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration law, which immigration lawyers claim reduces the public trust. Finally, the law criminalizes harboring an illegal alien for financial gain. Immigration lawyers fear this will have unfavorable economic consequences for certain industries.
Proponents of the law claim that it was enacted to protect the finite pool of taxpayer dollars in that illegal immigrants are using government services that are intended for those who are here legally. As the federal government has done nothing to help stem the flow of losses, Utah lawmakers have taken it upon themselves to shore up their budget.
