Utah Democrat eyes bill to hold ICE agents accountable

State of play: Escamilla tells Axios she's drafting a bill for next year's legislative session that would create a mechanism allowing people to sue federal immigration officers for constitutional rights violations.

• The effort is led by the State Innovation Exchange, which developed a playbook to push back against ICE agents that Illinois, Maryland and other states have adopted since President Trump's second term.

Reality check: Escamilla acknowledged the uphill battle to persuade her colleagues in the Republican-dominated Utah Legislature to support such an bill.

• A separate accountability bill sponsored by state Sen. Nate Blouin (D-Salt Lake City) sought to ban face coverings for federal immigration agents this last session, but failed to advance.

Yes, but: Escamilla says her bill would support U.S. citizens if their rights are being violated. Utah's long history with resisting federal overreach could resonate with Republicans, she says.

The big picture: The move comes after multiple people, including U.S. citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal immigration officers.

What they're saying: "We are hearing story after story of people whose constitutional rights were grossly violated, with no accountability afterwards," EJ Juárez, executive director of State Innovation Action, said at a Wednesday news conference in Chicago.

• Escamilla said her neighbors, the parents of four children, were recently arrested by ICE without warrants while heading to work.

By the numbers: ICE arrests in Utah have jumped significantly since Trump began his second term, putting businesses that rely on an immigrant workforce and schools on high alert.

• Between January 2025 and February 2026, ICE apprehended more than 5,000 people in Utah, per the Deportation Data Project from UCLA and UC Berkeley. That's up from fewer than 1,600 apprehensions in the state during President Biden's final year in office.

What's next: Utah's 45-day legislative session convenes Jan. 19, 2027.