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More than 700 people attended the final public debate prior to lawmakers considering an immigration enforcement bill in Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Republican Stephen Sandstrom, who initiated the bill, defended it from a number of attacks ranging from people calling it racist to criticism that it was too similar to the controversial legislation in Arizona.

Sandstrom said the bill differed in a number of ways from the Arizona bill and said that the legislation needed to be enacted as quickly as possible.

"We need this bill now," Sandstrom said. "It’s not the ugly monster everyone has made it out to be."

In addition to Sandstrom, the immigration debate panel included fellow Republican Representative Chris Herrod and Utah Coalition on Illegal Immigration spokesman Ron Mortensen. Lynnette Weed, whose 9-year-old daughter allegedly had her identity stolen by an undocumented immigrant, was also on the panel, according to the news source.

Regardless of whether or not tougher immigration enforcement is implemented in Utah and around the country, foreign nationals can still obtain U.S. green card eligibility through the federal EB-5 visa program. Through this program, foreigners can obtain such eligibility by investing $1 million (or in some areas $500,000) in an American project or company that creates or maintains at least 10 full-time jobs.