‘In Utah it’s all about families,’ Rep. Curtis tells Trump at immigration meeting

After a closed-door meeting with President Donald Trump, members of Utah’s Congressional delegation say they feel positive they’ll come up with legislation that will end families being separated when they cross the border illegally.

“The system has been broke for many years,” President Trump said about the immigration system when he arrived at Capitol Hill for the meeting with GOP representatives. “It’s been a really bad, bad system, probably the worst anywhere in the world. We’re going to try to see if we can fix it.”

About an hour later, the president emerged from the private meeting but didn’t provide any specifics about what type of immigration legislation he’d support.

“We had a great meeting,” the president said. “These are laws that have been broken for many years, decades, but we had a great meeting.”

Congressman John Curtis, R-Utah, attended the meeting and said he delivered a message to the president.

“I was really fortunate that I had a chance to shake his hand, look him in the eye and say, ‘You know, in Utah it’s all about families and families are very important to us,’” Rep. Curtis said, adding that he shared the message with other members of the Trump administration. “Every one of them responded and said, ‘We know and everybody feels the same way.’”

Curtis said the president signaled that he would sign an immigration bill that addresses various aspects of immigration reform.

“The president emphasized several times that he was supportive of the bills before us,” Curtis said. “Now the burden is on us and I think it’s time for Congress to act. We’ve been derelict in this for years and years and years.”

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, was also in the meeting and called it a positive discussion. He said the compromise legislation must provide true border security.

“Compassion and security do not have to be separate issues,” he said. “One can have security on our border as well as compassion for individuals.”

Bishop said his provision would provide border agents with better access to patrol property along the border and the ability to close illegal tunnels.

“The security issue, if you can solve that — can look constituents in the eye and say the border is secure — you can solve a whole raft of other issues,” Bishop said.

Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, issued a statement after the meeting saying that she feels the country is one step closer to fixing our immigration system.

“We can make necessary and compassionate changes to our immigration system while providing more security at the border,” Love’s statement said. “The practice of separating parents and children at the border is a heartbreaking example of why Congress needs to take immediate action.”

Love also says she received assurance from the president about a permanent solution for young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, known as DACA recipients.

“We are a nation of laws, and we should provide solutions and certainty about the fate of the families, not to consolidate power to the executive branch,” her statement went on to say. “I look forward to advancing these goals with a vote on the floor of the House, and I will remain active and influential in this process.”

The meeting between Trump and Republican lawmakers comes as the U.S. House prepares to vote on two immigration bills, possibly later this week.