A controversial bill that seeks to cut off some public benefits to undocumented immigrants is in limbo — stuck in the Utah House of Representatives with no senator willing to carry the bill — with just days before lawmakers leave the Capitol.

And the bill is trapped in legislative purgatory despite the former House sponsor saying there is behind-the-scenes pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration to move the bill along.

Rep. Trevor Lee originally proposed HB88, which aimed to require anyone benefitting from government programs — like vaccines, disease testing, crisis counseling and food aid for pregnant mothers — to prove they are citizens of the United States. That bill ran into trouble on the House floor two weeks ago and hasn’t moved since.

But Friday night, Lee took much of his stalled bill and added it to another piece of legislation. That bill — HB386 by Rep. Lisa Shepherd, R-Provo — is trying to repeal a state-level guest worker program that was put into law in 2011 but never took effect after failing to receive a waiver from the federal government allowing it to be implemented.

The combined bill would still repeal Utah’s guest-worker program, as well as require proof of citizenship in order to qualify for in-state college tuition, certain state licenses, retirement benefits or a mortgage. Many of the other public benefit bans from Lee’s failed HB88 are not included.

It has been stuck in the possession of the House clerk because, under legislative rules, a bill can’t move to the Senate unless there is a senator willing to sponsor it. For five days now — and with two days remaining in the legislative session — no senator has been willing to carry Shepherd’s bill with Lee’s additions from HB88.

That is in spite of what Lee says is intense pressure from the White House and constituents behind the scenes to move the bill forward.

“Whether or not they want to listen to the people or the Trump administration, which is trying to help speed up the deportation process, getting rid of incentives is the best way to do it,” Lee said in an interview.

Lee said encouraging immigrants to return to their nations of origin is “the most humane way” to curb immigration. “If there’s no incentives for them, no benefits to have, they won’t come,” he said.

Idaho lawmakers passed similar legislation last year but it has been blocked by the federal courts.

Lee declined to say if senators were sending him a message by refusing to sponsor his bill.

“I just feel like we need to prioritize Utahns, not people from other countries,” he said. “That’s their decision to make in the Senate, but I will prioritize my constituency.”

Asked Wednesday if the bill would get a sponsor, Senate President J. Stuart Adams said, “I’m not aware of a Senate sponsor.”

Pressed on whether that means the bill is dead this session, he said: “You need a sponsor. We’ll see what happens.”

Lee said he had had conversations with representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about the bill and acknowledged it “is something that they’re most likely going to be against, but they’re not going to make a public statement on that.”

A church spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Tribune reporter Emily Anderson Stern contributed to this story.