Utah Attorney General John Swallow is encouraging Congress to enact immigration reform. Swallow is part of a bipartisan group of 35 Attorney Generals who sent a letter to federal leaders calling for reform that improves the immigration system, keeps communities safe and protects borders.
Swallow says drug crime, identity theft issues, and gangs tied to illegal immigration are threatening Utah’s safety and economy.
“We are really getting hurt in this state because Congress has neglected to do its job,” Swallow says. “35 of us across the country are saying now is the time. We’re going to do everything we can to encourage Congress to take this issue and resolve it once and for all.”
Swallow says it’s not his job to recommend policy, but he does suggest in the letter that states should have input on the visa system.
“I don’t know why Utah doesn’t have a say in how many migrant workers we have in our own state,” Swallow says. “It’s a local issue. We deal with local economies. I think they should involve local input from the states as they go through the process, but at the end of the day, it really is a Congressional process.”
Swallow says he trusts Congress to come up with a fair solution.
