Utah A Model For Sensible Immigration Policy

Utah has a reasonable and compassionate policy on immigration known as the Utah Compact that includes a guest worker program.

“The leadership in Utah, through the Compact, changed the debate around the country,” said Ali Noorani, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Immigration Forum. “It’s clear the Compact has struck a chord with the silent majority that wants reform.”

Noorani is working with Utah officials to create a national version of the plan, which could be announced as early as this summer.

Other states are taking notice.

Groups spearheaded by religious and business leaders in several other states are now adopting their own versions of the Utah Compact. Most are adopting Utah language that encourages keeping families together and urges compassion in law enforcement.

“It’s important to represent the human side,” said Kathryn Williams, co-chair of the Alliance for Immigration Reform in Indiana. “It’s also important to set the tenor of the debate so it’s about what happens to that human.”

The alliance mirrored Utah’s message when it created the Indiana Compact, which was unveiled earlier this year. It has support from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Catholic Conference.

There is a worthy debate about how much a state can do on an issue that is national in scope. But at least Utah, along with Indiana, Maine, Florida, Georgia and Kansas are looking for compassionate and practical solutions, as opposed to Arizona that believes the only answer is deportation.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.