Immigration Politics: Utah governor under spotlight over immigration laws

Now that the Utah legislature has acted, the governor is on the hot seat.

AFP: Utah governor under spotlight over immigration laws: "Controversial plans to reform Utah's immigration laws have thrown the spotlight on the western US state's governor, whose signature is needed to bring the new rules into force.

Governor Gary Herbert is expected to ink the legislative bills passed by the Republican-controlled legislature last week after months of discussion and behind-the-scenes wrangling.

The new laws would notably create a state guest-worker program while giving police the ability to assist in immigration enforcement.

But Tea Party activists and some Republican delegates have condemned the guest-worker bill as an amnesty, and have vowed to drive Herbert from office in 2012 polls unless he vetos the reform package.

"It is outrageous that any lone state would attempt to pass radical amnesty legislation that has been rejected by Congress and a majority of Americans again and again," said William Gheen, head of Americans for Legal Immigration.

Hispanic groups want the governor to strike down the enforcement bill and have announced a two-week boycott of Utah businesses, beginning March 14. Local and national groups on both sides of the immigration debate have threatened lawsuits to halt the reforms." Agence France-Presse (AFP)