A Republican lawmaker from DeSoto County introduced a bill on Wednesday that would offer a cash reward to registered bounty hunters who turn in undocumented immigrants to public safety officials.
House Bill 1484, authored by state Rep. Justin Keen, would create the “Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program.” If passed by both chambers and signed by Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, it would allow bail bond and surety recovery agents to find and detain undocumented immigrants. Those detained would be charged with “trespass by an illegal alien,” a felony with severe penalties.
For every undocumented immigrant turned over to the Mississippi Department of Safety and subsequently deported, $1,000 in bounties will be given.
“This program is about keeping Mississippi communities safe,” Keen said.
The second-year representative who formerly served as a sheriff’s deputy asserted that drafting the bill is in line with the priorities of recently inaugurated President Donald Trump. Trump, who re-entered office two days before Keen filed the legislation, has pledged to deport millions of people through a federal immigration crackdown. He declared a national emergency at the southern border and ordered the military to help expand detention space to transport migrants, among a swath of immigration-related executive actions.
Republicans in the U.S. Senate elected Monday night, just hours after Trump was sworn in, to pass the “Laken Riley Act” and send it back to the U.S. House. The legislation named after a Georgia nursing student murdered last year by an undocumented immigrant requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of and detain non-citizens who are charged, arrested, or convicted for committing acts of “burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting” in addition to violent crimes.
“We’ve seen firsthand the danger posed by bad actors and violent criminals who enter this country illegally, like the innocent life of Laken Riley,” Keen continued, explaining why he filed the legislation. “President Trump’s administration has made it clear that deporting illegal immigrants is a priority, and we are proud to do our part here in Mississippi to help support his agenda and protect our citizens.”
Keen’s legislation
Read original article by clicking here.