President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration stance has led to an increase in deportations for immigrants convicted of even minor crimes. And that may result in a change in how Utah punishes low-level offenders.
Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, is planning to introduce a bill during the legislative session, which starts Monday, that would alter the maximum penalty for a class A misdemeanor, dropping it from one year to 364 days.
This is in response to a federal law that says a conviction that carries a penalty of a year or more in jail is considered a “violent felony” that can trigger deportation proceedings, even for those who entered the country legally.