Pro-amnesty Utah Republican introduces last-ditch bill to import more migrants

Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) is demanding more migrants.

A new bill from Curtis and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), the State Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act of 2026, would allow states to circumvent federal immigration law to import foreign workers. As an amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act, the bill aims to allow migrants and their families to secure state-sponsored visas for three-year terms.

'Hispanic businesses disproportionately operate in industries that heavily rely on immigrant labor.'

Utah wanted to implement a similar state-level migrant worker visa policy in 2011, when President Barack Obama was still in his first term. The state even sought "waivers" from the federal government to do so, but federal approval never materialized.

“Utah employers tell me time and again how difficult it's become to find enough workers to meet growing demands,” Curtis said in a Monday X post. “Our bill allows states to sponsor visas tailored to their unique workforce needs, while ensuring rigorous federal vetting and accountability.”

Although the Department of Homeland Security would retain final authority to approve each state’s visa criteria and program, the bill also authorizes interstate compacts allowing migrant workers to move freely among participating states.

States would initially receive 5,000 visas per fiscal year, according to the bill. Another 245,000 visas plus 5,000 visas for every nonparticipating state and unused or revoked visas from previous years would also be pooled together and distributed to participating states.

The bill characterizes the visa program as "nonimmigrant," but there are no provisions prohibiting visa-holders from applying for citizenship once in the country.

Kelly and the DHS did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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The bill has been endorsed by multiple Hispanic organizations, including UnidosUS, the U.S. Hispanic Business Council, and the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“Hispanic-owned small businesses understand firsthand both the economic contributions of immigrant workers and the need for a lawful, secure, and accountable process,” U.S. HBC President Javier Palomarez said in his endorsement.

When Blaze News asked whether the bill was an ethnic carveout, a U.S. HBC spokesperson replied, "It is not that. This is an endorsement of a potential solution to the very real issue of worker shortages across major industries, totaling millions of unfilled jobs."

“Hispanic businesses disproportionately operate in industries that heavily rely on immigrant labor like agriculture (70% immigrant workforce), hospitality/hotels/lodging (31%), construction (30%), professional services (23%), food services (22%), and more," according to the spokesperson. "This issue is impacting all businesses, but given our presence in these industries, it affects these business owners more significantly.”

UnidosUS and the AHCCC did not respond to requests for comment.

Multiple endorsers of the bill donate to or support almost exclusively Democrats. One-hundred percent of Third Way’s donations went to Democrats in 2024, according to Open Secrets. UnidosUS has bankrolled exclusively Democrat campaigns since 2016 and has overwhelmingly supported them over Republicans since 1992.

UnidosUS was previously known as the National Council of La Raza. La Raza means "the race" in English.

In 2022, then-Rep. Curtis (R-Utah) co-sponsored the DIGNIDAD Act with Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), which would have legalized some illegal aliens after background checks and other requirements were satisfied.

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