The vote on the Real ID Act came on the same day that Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, joined Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, in reviving the Agricultural Jobs, Opportunity, Benefits and Security - or AgJobs - bill that failed in the last Congress. Craig said Thursday he would consider attaching AgJobs to the Real ID Act when it comes to the Senate.
The Real ID Act is meant to close immigration loopholes that could be exploited by terrorists by making it easier to deport asylum-seekers and requiring driver license applicants to prove they are in the country legally.
Utah is one of 11 states that issues licenses to undocumented immigrants. If the state doesn't change its law within three years, Utah licenses would not be considered a valid form of ID by the federal government. The Utah Legislature already is working to pass legislation that would bring the state into compliance with the bill.
The House voted 261-161 to pass the bill sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. The bill now goes to the Senate.
The bill had strong support from the White House, but was opposed by the National Governors Association and National Conference of State Legislators, which viewed it as a costly mandate to states.
Utah's three House members voted for the bill, although Cannon expressed reservations about the federal government mandating license standards and moving toward a national ID card.
Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, said the bill "gives us additional tools to protect our country from terrorists. It also begins the process of addressing our immigration system, which is broken and needs a thorough overhaul."
The Craig and Cannon AgJobs bill would allow undocumented immigrants working in farming jobs in the United States opportunity to earn legal residency and streamline and expand the nation's existing guest worker program, allowing more immigrants to enter the United States to work on farms.
"This bill is about finding a stable work force for a critical sector of our economy," Cannon said.
Under the AgJobs bill, undocumented immigrants who can show they worked more than 100 days in the previous year can apply for temporary legal status. If they go on to work a total of 360 days, they can apply for permanent resident status. An estimated 500,000 illegal immigrants could be eligible to apply.
The legislation would also seek to make it easier for employers to request visas for seasonal workers from outside the United States by cutting down on the bureaucracy for the guest-worker program.
