Utah Bill to criminal immigrants in the middle of concerns about the effects on legal immigrants

Salt Lake City – a measure that focuses on the deportation of criminal immigrants here illegally has been illegally designed in the concerns of several lawyers that his provisions could legally affect immigrants here too.

One of the most important provisions of HB226 would increase the maximum sentence in Utah for certain violence of class A by 364 days to 365 days. This would correspond to the immigration policy of the federal immigration, which enables the deportation of immigrants, which were condemned on at least 365 days, which enlarges the pool of deportable immigrants.

Several critics said against the measure on Tuesday at a hearing of the judiciary of the Senate, the committee for law enforcement agencies and criminal justice, and the legislators at the committee ultimately voted 4: 3 against a cheap recommendation that threw in the limb. HB226, one of several measures that GOP legislators have proposed to act illegally against immigrants, was adopted on February 12 in a 62-9 vote in the Utah House.

Senator Luz Escamilla, D-Salz-Lake City, has not raised a problem with the effects of HB226 on immigrants, said that her concern has had the possible effects of the one-day prison sentence on legal inhabitants in the country. Rep. Candice Pierucci, R-Herriman and the sponsor HB226 recognized their point of view.

If an immigrant legally hits the 365-day mark in prison because he committed one of the prescribed class A's prescribed offenses, “then they could be deported. This is left to the ice and home protection security,” said Pierucci and referred to the US-customs and immigration authorities and the US Ministry of Homeland Landeland.

However, Pierucci also found that the pool of the crimes on which the 365-day custody sentence would be applied was limited to only the most violent offense in class A by an earlier version of HB226. You are defined in title 76, Chapter 5 of Utah Criminal Code. Certain crimes of drunk driving supply are also included.

Jim McConkie from the refugee judge League, who offers refugees in Utah, said against HB226. He found that the maximum term due to a class A's offense was reduced from one day to 364 days in 2019. They were concerned about the deportation threat refugees and other legal immigrants were able to expose themselves to such crimes and imprisoned for 365 days or more.

The one -day reduction in 2019 “meant that ice cream simply did not throw them in prison and then deport them without hearing,” he said. “It meant that they could have a lawyer if there was a mitigating fact and a judge would make this decision. This would not be automatically on a law.”

Steven Burton from the Utah Defense Attorney Association proposed to increase the proposed punishment to 365 days to the applicable class A offense, only because of the second or subsequent crimes. “If we do it in such a way that there is a penalty of 365 in a second or subsequent crime, we (first criminal offenders) give this first chance of salvation,” said Burton.

Alyssa Williams from Catholic Community Services spoke against an element of HB226 that is subject to non -profit organizations for fines of 10,000 US dollars if they are convicted of federal or national crimes related to human smuggling. The determination is based on the concern that immigrant interest groups transport illegally from place to place when transporting immigrants in the country.

However, Williams said that the referred federal and state laws were “brosted” and have asked a more precise view of the destiny or distance. The Catholic community services offer immigrants, among other things, legal help. “So it would be nice if we only took out this part … So these non -profit organizations are not unfair if we serve immigrants and we don't have this terrifying effect,” she said.

HB226 would also have to request the law enforcement authorities to coordinate with the federal immigration authorities before an immigrant is charged with a crime in class A or crime.