Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
- Gov. Spencer Cox announced a plan for Utah to assist in deporting undocumented immigrants under Trump's administration.
- Cox emphasized public safety and criticized federal immigration policies, while Democratic leaders expressed concerns about scapegoating immigrant communities.
- Utah will collaborate with federal agencies to identify and deport undocumented criminals, focusing on public safety threats.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Tuesday announced a state plan to assist the Trump administration in deporting undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes and "demonstrate a threat to public safety."
President-elect Donald Trump has made mass deportations a key plank in his policy platform and has pledged to deport millions of undocumented migrants when he takes office in January. Cox, a fellow Republican, has been critical of the Biden administration's handling of the border and said Tuesday the state will offer assistance to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to identify undocumented people in the state's criminal justice system.
"When it comes to immigration policy, the safety of Utah residents is my top priority," the governor said in a prepared statement. "Utah will continue to welcome refugees and immigrants who enter the country lawfully, and we will continue pushing for reforms to the asylum process and for more visas to support our workforce needs."
The state has "zero tolerance, however, for those who demonstrate a threat to public safety while in the country illegally," Cox added.
Top Democratic leaders in the state, however, issued a statement saying Cox's announcement "raises serious concerns about equating immigration with criminality and scapegoating undocumented communities."
"While we all want to hold criminals accountable and ensure public safety," Utah Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla and House Minority Leader Angela Romero said in a joint statement, "this approach risks creating fear and misrepresenting undocumented individuals, many of whom contribute significantly to Utah's economy, culture and workforce."
The lawmakers, both Democrats from Salt Lake City, urged differentiating "between those who commit crimes and those seeking better lives for themselves and their families." They called for policies to address the root causes of crime such as poverty, addiction and mental health issues.
"Let's continue to foster policies that reflect Utah's values focusing on families and compassion, fairness and unity," they said.
Immigrant advocates have also expressed concern for the community in the wake of Trump's election win.
Utah's efforts will play out with the cooperation of the Utah Department of Public Safety and Department of Corrections, according to a news release from his office. Five key priorities will be to find "intercept points" in the criminal justice system where undocumented migrants can be identified, develop training to help state and local authorities identify "criminal illegal migrants," work with the Fentanyl Task Force for solutions on distribution of the drug, work with lawmakers to craft "policy enhancements" during the next legislative session and assist the federal government to "reduce unreasonable federal regulations and detention standards that interfere with the ability to house criminal detainees."
Those regulations for housing detainees have long been a sticking point between the state and federal government. Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith told KSL.com last year that his office terminated a detainment agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the strict requirements the agency has in place for local law enforcement partners who detain undocumented immigrants.
Cox blamed the federal government for immigration policies he said have had a negative impact on the state. His office said undocumented immigrants make up an estimated 4.6% of the prison population in Utah at a cost of "nearly $16 million per year."
"Federal immigration authorities have failed in their duty to the American people and they've left states and localities to independently manage the fallout of those failures," Cox said. "We're grateful to have an administration coming in who will take these problems seriously."
In June, the governor condemned news that Denver officials had paid travel costs to send migrants to Utah, saying the state's "resources are completely depleted."
The governor also said undocumented immigrants have contributed to the increase of drug distribution along the Jordan River Trail, and said the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua "poses a growing threat to the public safety in Utah." The news release from his office called for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to increase funding and personnel to transport, detain and deport undocumented migrants who are convicted of crimes, saying the agency should make more frequent trips to transport migrants being held in county jails in the state.
"Criminal organizations like the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartel need to be held accountable for drug and human trafficking, including facilitating the return of previously deported felons," said Jess Anderson, the state's public safety commissioner. "We anticipate that with increased border enforcement, we can take strong action on these aggravated reentries, where deported felons return to commit additional crimes."
Department of Corrections Executive Director Brian Redd said: "As we develop more confidence in federal policy, it makes sense to be more aggressive in deporting those who commit crime and victimize our communities."
With the change in administrations, many red states — including Utah — that were previously unfriendly to many of President Joe Biden's policies, are now seeking an opportunity to work more closely with Trump on multiple fronts, including immigration. Utah sent several state troopers and National Guard members to the U.S.-Mexico border in February in response to an emergency aid request from Texas leaders who were at odds with the federal government's handling of border policy.
Cox has previously been seen as a skeptic of Trump, but made a surprise endorsement of the former president in July, following the assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally. He previously predicted that the uptick in border crossings late last year would help Trump win reelection. That prediction would turn out to be accurate, given that 90% of voters who cited immigration as a top issue voted for Trump, according to initial exit polls.
