House Passes Resolution Urging Congress to Address U.S. Citizen Children of Undocumented Parents

The Utah House on the floor passed First Substitute SJR 5, a resolution urging the United States Congress to examine circumstances in which U.S. citizen children may be separated from undocumented parents. The amended resolution passed by a recorded vote of 39 yes and 31 no and will return to the Senate for further consideration.

Representative Lippback (sponsor) said the resolution requests Congressional review of immigration law effects that can lead to U.S. citizen children being separated from parents who face deportation. The sponsor emphasized the body was asking Congress, not changing federal law.

Members questioned whether the resolution would imply policy changes to immigration law or unintentionally encourage legal routes for undocumented parents. Representative Bigelow and others pressed the sponsor for clarification; Representative Lippback and other supporters said the resolution focuses on the welfare of U.S. citizen children and calls on Congress to examine unintended consequences of current federal law.

Representative Bigelow successfully moved to delete lines 45–46 of the resolution to avoid language that some members said could be read as recommending changes to immigration policy or as granting rights by virtue of birth alone. That amendment was adopted following a procedural vote to suspend rules that allowed substitute motions.

Supporters argued the resolution addresses a real hardship for citizen children who may become wards of the state when parents are removed; critics said the item addresses the aftermath rather than the underlying immigration‑law problems and urged broader Congressional reform instead of a narrowly focused resolution. After debate and amendment, the House recorded 39 yes votes and 31 no votes and passed the amended First Substitute SJR 5.

The resolution will be returned to the Senate for its consideration.