Two immigration-related bills attracted heavy attention at the Capitol during a Monday hearing that stretched about three hours.
Senate Bills 58 and 72 both seek to create new provisions relating to those in the country illegally, and the opponents in the overflowing hearing room far outweighed those there in support of the bills.
Senate Bill 58 has multiple parts, but the primary areas that those testifying against the bill opposed were those that would increase criminal punishments for illegal immigrants, including a fine of $10,000 for “improper entry.”
Aura Velasquez, who immigrated to the U.S. from Nicaragua when she was five years old, testified against SB 58.
"My mother came to America with a dream of peace. She risked her life to search for a better life for her children," Velasquez said to the Senate Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety. "The same better life that some of your Irish, German and European immigrant ancestors came here to find."
SB 58 sponsor Sen. Jill Carter (R-Granby) argued that the act would help stop the cartel and human traffickers from entering the U.S. and Missouri.
"This isn't just a border crisis, it's a humanitarian crisis, a health crisis and a national security crisis," Carter said.
SB 72’s sponsor, Sen. David Gregory (R-Chesterfield), said his bill would be an “ICE program at the state level.”
The bill includes a $1,000 reward for anyone who successfully reports an undocumented immigrant leading to their arrest, and would certify licensed bail bond agents or surety recovery agents to apply to be bounty hunters for the purpose of finding and detaining undocumented immigrants in Missouri. If an undocumented immigrant were arrested, this bill proposes a felony sentence without probation or parole in some cases.
"Just like ICE, once a warrant is issued for an illegal immigrant’s arrest, then, and only then, can a police officer or a licensed bounty hunter effectuate that arrest," Gregory said.
A key opponent to the bills on the committee was Sen. Barbara Washington (D-Kansas City). She expressed strong concerns that both bills could lead to the targeting of legal immigrants and people of color. In SB 58, she said the term "alien" was not well defined.
"All of my (district's) refugees are aliens," Washington said. "So this would allow for them to be removed after all the trauma that they've been through in life because this is not well defined."
Washington said SB 72 was getting citizens involved in the criminal justice system.
"Do you not think that if someone's going to get $1,000 for turning somebody in that this not going to cause issues in our communities?" Washington asked Gregory.
He replied that there is already an ICE tip line that gives a larger reward.
Gregory's bill is projected to cost the state about $5 million, but he argues the true cost would be less.
