A senate committee is considering a pair of illegal immigration bills, one of which would basically create a Missouri version of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. The bill from Sen. David Gregory, R-St. Louis County, would also pay bounty hunters $1,000 for turning in undocumented immigrants.
The opposition could be summed up with one word – contentious.
“During World War II, bounty hunters are hired on by the Nazis in Germany for this specific and same cause. Thank you for your testimony. Really quick, I want to look you in the face and tell you that you’re a [expletive] fascist, Gregory,” yelled Arianna Bunyard, who testified against the bill.
Gregory explained that like ICE, the Missouri Department of Public Safety, would conduct investigations.
“Much like ICE, there will be a tip line that the Department of Public Safety can use to initiate investigations,” said Gregory. “Much like ICE, we have to actually do an effective investigation and have enough probable cause to initiate a warrant for someone’s arrest.”
Tori Schafer, representing the ACLU of Missouri, said that this proposal conflicts with federal policy, leading to confusion and potential enforcement disputes.
The other bill under consideration is from Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, which proposes punishments for people if they were found to be in the U.S. illegally.
“Missouri law enforcement faces significant challenges in identifying and prosecuting these crimes due to limited resources and the secretive nature of trafficking operations,” said Carter.
Under the provisions of Carter’s bill, undocumented immigrants could be charged with “improper entry” and punished by a fine of up to $10,000, and charged with a felony for “aggravated illegal presence.”
“My school gets a letter that says that they’re going to have to accommodate 230-something refugees, which is not a problem if they’re here through the right process,” Carter added.
However, Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, is critical of the wording of the bill.
“That’s what a refugee is! So, look that up. A refugee is here legally,” Washington said. “They were brought here because that is why they’re called refugees. Then we’re not going to have a problem with them, are we Senator? But that’s not in your bill. Your bill says alien. So, alien includes the refugees. It includes anybody.”
Those in opposition to the bill cite the constitutionality of it – a federal appeals court recently upheld a temporary block on an Iowa law that criminalizes being in the state if a person is in the U.S. illegally.
The committee could vote on the bills soon.
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