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Show Sunday, March 5, 2006 DAILY HERALD STATE REGION Lawmakers say prosecutor misinterpreting immigration law state lawmakersapproved the law a year ago, making human PHOENIX — The top prosecutorin Arizona's most populous countyis misinterpreting the law under which he wants to charge5]illegal immigrants witha felony, twolegislators who helped write the law said smuggling a state crime. In September, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas issued an opinion declaring that illegal immigrants can be prosecuted under the Jaw as co-conspiratorsif they pay a coyote for transport. Friday. Officials discovered the immigrantsin pair of furniture trucks about 50 miles west of Phoenix Thursday. Authorities aa they obtained confessions from several in the group who said they paid smugglers — commonly called “coyotes” — up to $2,000 each to bring them across the border. The immigrants were booked Underhis interpretation, the immigrants arrested Thursday can be charged with a felony punishable by up to twoyears in prison. But twoofthe law's authors said Friday that it was never into countyjail forallegedly conspiring with their smugglers to sneak into the country illegally. said Rep. Jonathon Paton, R- their intent forillegal immigrants to be prosecuted under the law. “This is something the county attorney cameup with himself,” Thearrests markthefirst timelocal authorities have Tucson.“I neverintended that immigrants would be arrested .«« That's not what I sold the bill as, and that’s not what our attorneysat the timetoldus.It applied a newstate law.on was pretty clear.” migrant smuggling to the smuggled immigrants themselves. Republican and Democratic When Sen. Timothy Bee, RTucson, was contacted about the arrests, he hadn't heard Thomas was seeking to.charge the immigrants underthe hu- man smuggling law. “Wow,” he said. “That's the first timeI've seenthatinterpretation of the law. The law was designed to go after those who are involved in drugtrafficking and human trafficking fora profit.” But Barnett Lotstein, special assistant countyattorney, said " stance on the lawis no surprise. Thomas issued his opinion on the sufject in Septemberand sent out a news. release aboutit. “That wasn't a hidden fact,” he said.“It seems little bit circuitous to now say, ‘Gee whiz, the law was never intended to do that.”” Lawmakershadplenty of time to amendthe law, but they ely chose notto, Lotstein hesaid. Thomas, a Republican who campaigned on the promise of getting toughon illegal immigration,has also set up a special squadto focus on enforcing the immigrants alike will have to his.” SALT LAKECITY — federal survey showsthat Utah is next-to-last in the nation in the percentageof children up to age 2 who receive recommended immunizations on time. Only Nevada ranked lower. Utahhealthofficials say it means the state faces a greater risk of preventable diseases, such as whooping cough and chickenpox. This winterin Utah, cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, are already well abovethe national average. The rankings werepublished in the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Immunizations Survey. In response,the Utah Health Departmenthealth de- A flu, measles, mumps, rubella — children facea’host of shots from birth through the teenage yearsthat, healthofficials said, can be hardto track. Manyfactorsstand in the wayofchildren getting vac- cines, said Audrey Stevenson, Salt Lake Valley Health Depart- vaccinations without charge.It allows parentsand health care providers to know what immunizations have been done and whicharestill needed. sistance with the immigrants on Thursday, the deputies called back andsaid they could handle thesituation on their own, Bor- hes der Patrol spokesman Richard Hays said. Hays said the Border Patrol wait for the issue to be decided in court before they know whether Thomas’ interpretation of the lawis legally sound. newstate smuggling law. Other lawmakersquestioned the U.S, Border Patrolfor as- law, you should ignorethe law.” Lawmakers,attorneys and Meanwhile, the 5] immigrants madetheirfirst court ap- will be closely monitoring how the state handles the immigrants, While he said havinga state agencydealwith illegal immi grant smuggling “is relatively pearance Friday morning. Their new” to BorderPatrolagents, thelogic of prosecutingillegal immigrants under the human smuggling lgw. “I don’t think it would be wise publicpolicytofill up our prisons with people whose only offenseis that they paid someoneto getinto the country, and otherwise haven't broken any lawsin this state,”said Rep. Bill Brotherton, D-Phoenix, who bond wasset at $5,400 each and their court date was scheduled heinsisted it was not a turf battle. for March13. Three others found in the Maricopa CountySheriff Joe Arpaio said he will continue to arrest immigrants whopay smugglersto illegally enter the trucks with them were turned overto U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whowill decide whetherto deport the trio. Oneof the three was a minor, andofficials decided not to pur- sue charges against the other supported the human smug- glingbill last year. “Imagine this being done on a widescale. two. Previously, state agencies haveentrusted the U.S. Border You'retalking about putting potentially thousandsortensof thousands of new. people into the prison system.” noris a pretty astute lawyer,” ment family health services director One factor among Utah's e families is the influence birth order plays: A family’s first and second children are frequently vaccinated on schedule, but for those born third andlater, “increased chaos in a family’s life” could mean immunizations fall behind, Stevenson said. Onetool Utah parents have thatisn’t as widely used as officials would likeis the Utah Statewide Immunization Information System.Theonline database trackschildren’s “That's like saying because a lotof people are breaking the Patrol with handlingillegal im- migrants. While sheriff's deputies called United States “I'm not going to go around onstreet corners and pick them up becausethey look like Mexi- cans,”he said. “But when we do an investigation or an arrest and smugglersare involved and other people are involvedin & conspiracy, I'm gong to arrest them. AndI'm surethe county attorneywill prosecute them.” |Lobe sovernor over Legacy Parkway hill immunization ratesfor children — partmenthas begun a campaign to raise awarenessof childhood vaccines. Assoon as a babyis born,it is recommended thata child get the first of a series of hepatitis B shots. By the time the infant is 3 months old, he should have had another hepatitis B shot and onefor diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; one for Haemophilus influenzae Type B; and one for lio. , With additional vaccines for of an argument Janet Napolitano,declined to commenton the issue, saying, “We're not going to get into sen has not been any effort in the Legislature to change the law or amendthe law, nor has the governorproposed to changethe law, and the gover- Utah ranked 49th in nation for Lotstein said that's not much Jeanine L’Ecuyer, a spokes- womanfor Arizona Governor ASSOCIATED. SALT LAKE CITY — The EnvironmentalProtection Agency says it's concerned abouta Utah bill requiring nonprofit groups to post a bond beforethey try to stop new projects understate or federal environmental laws. The Utah Legislature approved HouseBill 100, which would require bonds to cover any delay-related costs for developers, including lost profits, employee wages, construction The EPA Denverregional Healthy Environment Alliance director suggested Utah may not be able to carryout federal of Utah, called thebill punitive will price citizens out of their been cecenee tothestate. right to challenge government “It showsan utter disregard fund cleanups. “(This pendinglegislation raises concerns about whether importantparts ofthe state's federally approved environmental programs would meet federal requirements for EPA approval,”said theletter. signed by Kerrigan D. Clough costs and taxes. Gov. Jon Huntsmansaid he's considering vetoingthebill | becauseit may not be constitu- onbehalfof the regional administrator, Robbie Roberts. Lawmakerssaid thebill is neededto reinin lawsuits seek- | | ing to delay orstop transportation projects. tional. The EPAbolstered Hunts- | man’sposition Friday, with a letter to the governor. Hesaid the bond requirement environmentallawsthat have Jason Groenewald, execu- tive directorof the nonprofit for the courts andtheabilities of thecitizens to seek justice whentheir life and well being areatrisk,” Groenewaldsaid. “Wethink it’s likely there will be a court challenge.” Rep.AaronTilton, R-Springville, who sponsoredthebill. said it would prevent“frivolous lawsuits”like the onethat delayed the Legacy Highway for three years. The courts ruled in favor of environmental groups’claimthat the highway had shortcut federal law. Last year, the case wassettled with a compromisebefore going to trial. wvwuvuvcougaribiue-_caszm Memoriesfade, your pictures pictures shouldn't. Provo 36 N. University Ave. 373-4440 Orem 626 N State St. 224-0006 AF 76N.100E 756-3313 www. aes net fetelroaemecia 20m printing from any digital camera Herniated Disc? Degenerative Disc? Sciatica? Free report reveals a new FDA approved non-surgical solution for serious and chronic low backpain. For your free report entitled, “How Space Age Technology Is Solving Back Pain Without Drugs Or Surgery!”call 1-888-671-8601 (Toll-free 24 Hour recorded message) orgo to: UtahDiscRelief.com w. Mountainland Applied TechnologyCollege Looking for a hair salon? Look no further, contact : Youare invited to help honor some of Utah County’s best kids at the Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce's Great Kids Awards! The 12th Annual Great Kid Awards will be held Wednesday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Provo City Library at Academy Square. This award ceremony honors great kids in the Provo and Orem fortheir excellent examples. MOUNTAIN COSMETOLOGY WHAT: The 2006 Great Kid Awards for your next salon appointment MATC 763-0324 WHERE:TheProvoCity Library at MATC HyDE’s ENCORE JOURS. & TRAVEL ollFree ree(800) 748-4242 or(80 West 5400 Sou ith, Salt Lake bey Utah84118 stour.com or email: kar ren@hydeto ‘Tour: April 22-30, Guest speaker Chad Hawkins, author ofFirst 100 Tonples Gall for detais. ‘Splendor: May 7-17, Southern Hospitality in Richmond, Savannah and, more ‘America: June 6-13, Travel the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. All Shore excursions nuded + Black Hiils: June 12-16, Highlighting Mount Rushmofe, indians, Sculptors, and Fiddlers Festival June 22-25, River rafting & Basque dinner with + National Fiddler’ entertainmentincluded. (Canada Wal)ine 25-July 2, Toronto to Vancouver, and Niagara Falls. World Famous Calgary Stampede, and Worlds Largest Mall: * 1249 Fantasy CruiseTour the Columbia and Snake Rivers: April 4-11. ilo GregoLaw to sho yh several soreexonsced. Lite friends: Nov.12-19. Aboard cca honeepn in to Belize, Guatemala, Cozumel and more. nal xfamrv We do notstop here: tall us for ‘Your Dream We Are Your Drsam Makers. Let Us We Academy Square : WHEN: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 : WHY:To honor Utah County’s : Greatest Kids! : WE NEED YOUR HELP! Weare looking for sponsors to donate 55-60 items to be awardedto the children at the Great Kid Awards ceremony. The donated items could include: school supplies, toys, ‘ games, coupons,gift certificates, etc. Those interested in donating items should contact : Becky by March 1st (851-2567). Items mustbe received at the Chamber of Commerce : office (51 S. University Ave., Suite 215, Provo) by March 10th. Conatact Becky at 851 "2567 for more information. Sponsored By: PROVO-OREM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DailuxHerald |