SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake Chamber wants the state's congressional delegation to get behind the Utah Compact and advance comprehensive immigration reform this year.

But judging from their responses to a full-page open letter the chamber took out in Salt Lake newspapers Thursday, Utah's two senators and three congressmen don't appear likely to lock arms.

"In the past, comprehensive has been code for amnesty," said Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz. "I think the best path is to tackle it issue by issue."

None of Utah's five members of Congress — four Republicans, one Democrat — have signed the compact, which came out a year ago last week with support from civic, business, community and religious leaders. The document outlines five principles to guide Utah's immigration debate and acknowledges reform is primarily a federal responsibility but should take into account families, economics and the role of law enforcement.

"They can't say it politically, but the fact of the matter is the compact is disingenuous and it's a sham because it tries to hide what the (drafters') real goal is," said Ron Mortensen, co-founder of the Utah Coalition on Illegal Immigration. "It is a poorly veiled attempt at amnesty."

The letter, signed by chamber President Lane Beattie, says "it's wrong for elected leaders in Washington, D.C., to do nothing while states bear the burden of millions of undocumented people."

Utah lawmakers passed several illegal immigration reform measures this year, though one is tied up in the courts and another is likely to be repealed. They have also called on the delegation to initiate changes nationally.

Chaffetz, whose bill to lift caps on employment visas recently passed a House committee, said the full-page ad surprised him. "They can pick up the phone to call me, and it doesn't cost as much."

Gov. Gary Herbert defended the delegation at his monthly KUED news conference Thursday saying, "I'm not sure they're not on board with the compact."

"I do see our congressional delegation trying to work behind the scenes with others in Washington, D.C., to see if we can't get the federal government involved as they should," he said.

Herbert also did not sign the compact, but issued his own guiding principles on immigration reform.

The chamber recently asked Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee and Reps. Rob Bishop, Jim Matheson (the lone Democrat) and Chaffetz to clarify their positions on immigration and outline any legislation they're working on.

"They're doing some great things," said chamber spokesman Marty Carpenter. But, he said, the chamber would like to see them work cohesively toward reform.

In response to the open letter, a Hatch spokesman said the senator appreciates how Utahns feel about the issue and the work legislators have done.