Washington, D.C. (July 24, 2024) – A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies examines Utah’s elected officials’ response to the exposure of the state’s long-standing sanctuary policies and proposes concrete legislative actions to reverse the situation. Despite Gov. Spencer Cox’s past assertions that the state was not officially a sanctuary jurisdiction, recent coverage by national and local media outlets – prompted by KUTV reporting that Denver has funded travel for approximately 2,000 migrants to come to Utah, despite the state lacking the capacity to care for them – has drawn attention to Utah’s status as a welcoming state for those crossing the southern border illegally.

The report, authored by Center fellow Ron Mortensen, highlights the generous benefits Utah extends to illegal immigrants, including in-state college tuition, driving privilege cards, and reduced penalties for certain convictions to help avoid deportation. In addition to government-provided benefits, Utah's civic and religious communities play a crucial role in attracting immigrants. Organizations such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and NGOs like the International Rescue Committee and Catholic Community Services provide essential services, including food, housing, and legal assistance.

“Utah’s sanctuary status serves as a magnet for illegal immigrants and has had a detrimental impact on the state’s housing market, its public schools and on the many Utah children who are victims of illegal immigrant driven, job-related identity theft,” said Mortensen. “The governor should call the legislature into special session to end the sanctuary policies regardless of pushback from powerful business interests, the ACLU, various NGOs, and the state’s predominant religious institution. It is time for elected officials to get serious about addressing the problem that they have created.”

Mortensen provides 19 suggestions for lawmakers, including:

• Enhance Utah’s human smuggling laws to hold those transporting individuals who are illegally in the United States accountable for their actions.
• Require all Utah employers to enroll in and use E-Verify for all new hires.
• Require state agencies to develop programs that identify children 12 years old and younger whose Social Security numbers are being illegally used by adults for employment or other purposes, notify the parents of these children, and investigate and criminally prosecute the perpetrators.