SALT LAKE CITY — Governor Spencer Cox is detailing his plans for a pending crackdown on illegal immigration, focusing on those who commit crimes.
The governor announced a couple of weeks ago that Utah would cooperate with the incoming Trump administration's plans on illegal immigration, which have included pronouncements of "mass deportation." But at his monthly news conference on PBS, the governor acknowledged that would be easier said than done.
Utah's role, he told reporters, would be focused on those who are committing other criminal activities. Asked what that would look like, Gov. Cox replied: "It looks like if you commit a crime, we send you out."
Because being an undocumented immigrant is already a crime in and of itself, the governor said: "We’re going to start with criminals."
"People who are breaking the law and causing harm to Utahns and to Americans. That’s where we have to start. Let’s get the worst element out of here. Let’s focus there. That’s something we haven’t been able to do. And the backlog is ridiculous and embarrassing," he said.
Gov. Cox criticized the Biden administration for a lack of enforcement of the border. But pressed on whether he would specifically seek to deport someone just for being undocumented, he replied: "That's not where our focus is. Our focus right now is those who are committing other crimes."
The governor also touched on other topics including:
The pending federal shutdown
Gov. Cox said he was prepared to offer state funding to keep national parks open to help the tourism and hospitality industry, as Utah has done in the past when there is a federal government shutdown.
"This one has come as a little bit of a surprise," he said of the potential for a shutdown. "Everyone we talked to in DC, it was just a formality."
President-elect Trump has urged Republicans in the U.S. Capitol to reject a bipartisan spending agreement to avert a shutdown.
Colorado River negotiations
As negotiations stall on the future management of the Colorado River, Gov. Cox articulated what Utah wants out of the deal.
"It is pretty simple. We want fairness," he told reporters. "That’s all we’re asking for. That whatever other states get that Utah gets as well. That’s what the Upper Basin states have been proposing. The Lower Basin states, it’s no secret they’ve over-utilized their share of the water and we’ve under-utilized our share of the water."
The Colorado River Collaborative (of which FOX 13 News is a member) reported earlier this month that disagreements, largely surrounding who-cuts-what have slowed. The deal managing the Colorado River expires in 2026.
The governor said he was supportive of an idea being floated to give California money to build desalination plants in exchange for Colorado River water shares.
Cox defends vote-by-mail and the judiciary
A couple of ideas percolating in the Utah State Legislature could meet resistance from the state's chief executive. Asked about criticism of vote-by-mail after a recent legislative audit, the governor said if a bill emerged to get rid of mail-in ballots "it's highly unlikely I will sign it."
The governor also defended the judicial branch of government after a series of rulings on abortion, citizen ballot initiatives and constitutional amendments that some in the legislature have not liked. House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told FOX 13 News earlier this year he may explore the idea of electing judges (right now the governor appoints them, the Senate confirms them and the public votes on whether to retain them).
Gov. Cox said he is an "institutionalist" and supports an independent judiciary, even when they rule in ways he disagrees with.
"I cannot support the election of judges. I will never support the election of judges," he said. "I think the most corrupt systems on earth involve the elections of judges and I think that would be a huge mistake."
Breaking up Pacificorp
The governor expressed support for an idea in the Utah State Legislature to force Rocky Mountain Power's parent company to break up. The governor said he backs splitting Pacificorp into two — with Utah, Idaho and Wyoming being one company. The idea has gained traction in reaction to a proposed rate hike by Rocky Mountain Power and disagreements with other states over abandoning fossil fuels.
"Certainly when you look at the landscape we have just very different populations and very different politics," he said.
