(NewsNation) — A bill introduced in the Missouri Senate would give residents a $1,000 payout for reporting migrants who entered the country illegally.
The proposal is one of at least seven bills introduced in the state’s legislature to focus on immigration, all sponsored by Republican legislators.
Sen.-elect David Gregory proposed the legislation, which would create an online portal for people to make reports to the State Highway Patrol and be eligible for the payout.
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Senate Bill 72 would also develop a “Missouri Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program,” which would certify people to be bounty hunters for the specific purpose of finding and detaining immigrants without proper documents. Anyone licensed as a bail bond agent would be eligible to apply for the program.
Anyone detained in Missouri without proper documents, having knowingly entered the state, would be guilty of “trespass by an illegal alien.” That would mean they could not receive any public benefit, vote in any election, get a permit or license to drive or ever become a legal resident of the state.
The plan comes as there are legal questions over what roles states play in addressing immigration, an area typically handled by the federal government.
The Biden administration is currently challenging a Texas law that would allow the arrest and attempted removal of people who cross the southern border illegally. The Supreme Court also previously struck down an effort by Arizona to create state-level offenses for illegal immigration.
President-elect Donald Trump ran with immigration as a major part of his platform and has promised a major crackdown as soon as he is in office, including plans for mass deportations.
Trump has said he would use the military to help deport the nearly 11 million people believed to be in the U.S. illegally, though it isn’t clear how such deportations would work logistically or legally.
Opponents of the plan have argued that it would have a detrimental impact on the economy, particularly regarding agriculture. Republicans have pushed back, alleging that immigrants are committing crimes and distributing drugs in the U.S.
Other Republican proposals in the state would create a new immigration offense with penalties including jail time and removal, requiring businesses to ensure all employees are documented and a proposal to fine cities $25,000 per day for sanctuary policies.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson also authorized $2.2 million to fund a deployment of Highway Patrol and National Guard soldiers to Texas to assist in the state’s “Operation Lonestar” efforts to secure the border earlier this year.