Utah Follows Own Course in Immigration Reform

Utah lawmakers passed three immigration reform bills Thursday that sets a different course than the Arizona-style approach, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Friday.

The measures include an enforcement-only approach, a guest worker bill and a measure to work with the Mexican state of Neuvo Leon. The bills now await the governor’s signature. Gov. Gary Herbert’s office declined to tell the newspaper whether he will sign the measures into law.

Senate President Michael Waddoups, a Taylorsville Republican, said he was pleased with the outcome.

“It was a balanced solution,” Waddoups said. “I feel good about it.”

The new immigration laws put the federal government on notice that states are devising solutions to the thorny issue by incorporating a variety of perspectives, said state Sen. Curt Bramble, a Provo Republican and sponsor of one the measures.

Lawmakers struggled for weeks on the issue, and its outcome was unclear until the final vote Thursday.