SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Representative Stephen Sandstrom was a "no show" for an immigration debate at a Rotary Club luncheon on Tuesday, and the head of Proyecto Latino claims he "chickened out."
State Representative Stephen Sandstrom is the sponsor of the proposed "Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act," designed to crack down on undocumented workers coming to Utah. But he claimed a work-related conflict prevented him from defending his bill at a public forum on Tuesday. "I am disappointed,” said Proyecto Latino Director Tony Yapias. “I’m disappointed that he wasn't here."
Yapias doesn't like the Illegal immigration enforcement act that representative Sandstrom recently sponsored. He thinks it will make Utah look like Arizona.
Yapias said, "More and more states are trying to take the law into their own hands kind of like the old west, the wild west."
Yapias claimed he cut his vacation short so he could debate the issue before the Salt Lake Rotary Club but at the last minute representative Sandstrom didn't show.
"He chickened out on me," Yapias said.
ABC 4 asked, "Do you think he intentionally did not show?"
"I hope not, if he did then that is not a good thing," said Yapias.
Representative Chris Herrod said Sandstrom called him late last night and asked him to fill in because he had a work conflict.
Herrod is one of the co-sponsors on Sandstrom's Bill and recently wrote a book called "The Forgotten Immigrant."
In his book, Herrod claims the federal government is guilty of institutional racism. “By not enforcing our policy, we are discriminating against the African, against the Asian, against the European; we are discriminating against billions of people," said Herrod.
During the replacement debate, Yapias accused both Herrod and Sandstrom of not having compassion for the families of undocumented workers in Utah. “What he is trying to do is play with your emotions here,” Yapias said.
Herrod claimed that without a strong immigration law, thousands of illegal immigrants will leave Arizona and come to Utah, bringing additional crime, medical and education costs.
Herrod also defended his colleague for not showing up.
"He didn't chicken out, he's not afraid to debate Tony, he will debate him anytime," Herrod said.
