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- Amid criticism of heightened efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, Gov. Spencer Cox says racial profiling "is not acceptable" in Utah.
- He also defended moves against immigrants here illegally as a bid to get "the worst offenders off the streets."
- Cox's comments came a day after a contingent of Utah County residents blasted heightened federal efforts against immigrants.
SALT LAKE CITY — Though some may view efforts of federal immigration agents with suspicion, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday offered assurances that state officials, at least, won't stand for racial profiling in cooperative efforts to crack down on those here illegally.
"We've always made it clear that we have to follow the law and the Constitution, and racial profiling is not acceptable in our state, never will be, and we preach that, and we enforce that, and we will continue to do so," he said at his monthly press conference.
With an increasing number of Utah law enforcement agencies, in addition to the Utah Department of Corrections, entering into cooperative agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he likewise defended the heightened focus on detaining and deporting immigrants here illegally. Increasingly visible enforcement actions by immigration agents across Utah and the rest of the country, while lauded by many, have sparked concern among immigrant advocates and others.
"This really is about, again, enforcing the law and doing it in a way that protects citizens here in the state, trying to get the worst offenders off the streets," Cox said.
His comments Thursday came a day after Utah County commissioners agreed to a pair of proposals put forward by Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith to partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in cracking down on immigrants here illegally. Broadly, the arrangement would entail increased cooperation in identifying immigrants here illegally among those the sheriff's office encounters in its routine operations and at the jail.
Cox referenced the sharp opposition the Utah County proposal generated, but contrasted what he thinks are mistaken impressions of how moves against immigrants here illegally are unfolding with reality. He singled out a viral post on X from last week, seen by more than 4 million people, that purports to show immigration officials conducting an operation in West Jordan. It turns out the officials were actually U.S. Marshals Service officials arresting someone "wanted for homicide," and the incident had nothing to do with immigration enforcement, according to a statement from the city of West Jordan.
"I know there's a lot of fear out there, a lot of misinformation, and we want to do everything we can to help people understand that we will do this the right way," Cox said.
The crackdown, a priority of President Donald Trump's administration, "hasn't been flawless," he continued, but the roots of the problem stem from the lack of border control efforts of Trump's predecessor, President Joe Biden.
More than 100 people spoke out against Utah County's proposal to team up with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Wednesday's County Commission meeting, highlighting the strong backlash the ongoing crackdown has prompted among some in Utah and beyond. The critics variously said the efforts are dehumanizing and sow distrust toward law enforcement, and that the immigrants targeted are contributing members of the community, notwithstanding their migratory status.
Likewise, a Utah immigration attorney later Thursday said racial profiling is, in fact, occurring in Utah, notwithstanding Cox's assurances that the practice is unacceptable. He pointed to the experiences of acquaintances and clients. "Any type of fantasy or speech that the governor or anybody wants to give about this is simply a fantasy," said Carlos Trujillo, who's based in South Jordan.
As for the Utah Department of Corrections' agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Cox said it is focused on immigrants already in the prison system. At times, immigrants who should be deported have instead been freed after serving their sentences. The new agreement, finalized last May, is meant "to make sure that they're not released back onto the street where they can commit more crimes, but they actually are deported," Cox said.
Queried about the controversial new immigration detention facility in Florida's Everglades, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," Cox said there are no plans to build any sort of prison for immigrants in Utah. "We haven't had any requests to do so, and we don't have any plans to do that right now," he said.
