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A Utah lawmaker wants to lower the penalty for some crimes by one day to help immigrants avoid deportation

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.