Missouri Senator-Elect Proposes $1,000 Rewards for Reporting Undocumented Immigrants

David Gregory's bill would create a bounty system and deputize citizens as bounty hunters, drawing sharp criticism from civil rights groups and legal experts.

• Missouri Senator-elect David Gregory has introduced a bill offering $1,000 to residents who report undocumented immigrants to state authorities.
• The proposed legislation includes a 'Missouri Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program,' allowing licensed bail bond agents to detain undocumented immigrants.
• Those apprehended under the program would face felony charges, jail time, and restrictions from voting, receiving public benefits, or obtaining state residency.
• Critics argue the bill could lead to racial profiling, harassment of minorities, and harm to mixed-status families, with legal experts comparing it to discriminatory policies of the past.
• The proposal is part of a broader wave of state-level immigration measures, reflecting heightened anti-immigration rhetoric in Missouri politics and nationally.

5 Articles

The Kansas City Star Blaze Media St. Louis Post-Dispatch Newsweek The Post Millennial