NEWS RELEASE: Gov. Cox announces state effort to support incoming Trump administration on deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes and pose a threat to public safety

Contact:
Robert Carroll
Office of the Governor
(801) 243-2290, [email protected]

SALT LAKE CITY (Nov. 26, 2024) – Today, Gov. Cox announced a targeted effort by state government to support the incoming presidential administration’s priorities on illegal immigration. The state’s actions will be a joint effort by the Utah Department of Public Safety and the Utah Department of Corrections to enhance coordination with federal, state and local partners to identify, incarcerate and deport more illegal immigrants who have committed crimes and pose a threat to public safety.

The effort will be guided by five priorities:

1. Identify additional “intercept points” in the criminal justice system where those who have been arrested for a crime can be identified as illegal immigrants;
2. Develop further training and guidance to support local and state authorities as they attempt to identify criminal illegal immigrants who should be turned over to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency for deportation proceedings;
3. Work with Utah’s newly created Fentanyl Taskforce on long-term solutions to criminals who have engaged in fentanyl distribution while illegally in the state;
4. Work with the Utah legislature in the upcoming legislative session on a variety of policy enhancements associated with criminal behavior by illegal immigrants;
5. Work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to identify illegal immigrants in Utah’s criminal justice system and reduce unreasonable federal regulations and detention standards that interfere with the ability to house criminal detainees.

“When it comes to immigration policy, the safety of Utah residents is my top priority,” said Gov. Cox. “Utah will continue to welcome refugees and immigrants who enter the country lawfully, and we will continue pushing for reforms to the asylum process and for more visas to support our workforce needs. We have zero tolerance, however, for those who demonstrate a threat to public safety while in the country illegally. Federal immigration authorities have failed in their duty to the American people and they’ve left states and localities to independently manage the fallout of those failures. We’re grateful to have an administration coming in who will take these problems seriously.”

These federal failures have resulted in real costs to Utahns, both in terms of public safety and tax dollars. Illegal immigrants make up an estimated 4.6% of Utah’s prison population, costing the state nearly $16 million per year. The majority of crimes committed by illegal immigrants who are in prison are sex offenses and murder. 

Other types of crime are also contributing to the cost, extending beyond our prisons and into our communities. Over the past year, the Department of Public Safety has seen an increase in drug distribution along the Jordan River Trail, where more than half of all drug-related felony offenses this year have been committed by individuals who are in the country illegally. In spring 2024, Utah law enforcement identified the presence of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal gang involved in violent crimes, including sextortion, drug distribution, and attempted homicide. The group smuggles members across the southwest border and poses a growing threat to public safety in Utah. 

Utah authorities already turn over a large number of illegal immigrants convicted of crimes to ICE for deportation. This new effort will include identifying other intercept points where those who have been convicted of crimes can be turned over to ICE for deportation, relieving Utah taxpayers of the cost of imprisonment or parole.

States need the Department of Homeland Security to control the border and to dedicate more funding and personnel to transporting, detaining and deporting criminal aliens. For the state of Utah this includes more frequent trips by ICE to transport and hold accountable illegal immigrants who have been arrested and are being held in county jails.

“Criminal organizations like the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartel need to be held accountable for drug and human trafficking, including facilitating the return of previously deported felons,” said Utah’s Commissioner of Public Safety Jess Anderson. “We anticipate that with increased border enforcement, we can take strong action on these aggravated reentries, where deported felons return to commit additional crimes.”

“Utahns shouldn’t have to bear the substantial financial burdens or public safety impacts associated with individuals who are here illegally committing crime,” said Brian Redd, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Corrections. “As we develop more confidence in federal policy, it makes sense to be more aggressive in deporting those who commit crime and victimize our communities.”