ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri House Speaker Jonathan Patterson on Thursday signaled opposition to a plan in the state Senate that would offer $1,000 payouts for turning in undocumented immigrants.

The measure, which critics say would encourage racial profiling and spark fear, would also start a bounty hunter program to apprehend migrants in the country illegally.

Patterson’s comments Thursday effectively poured cold water on the plan, sponsored by state Sen. David Gregory, R-Chesterfield.

“I have not heard any enthusiasm from our members about doing any sort of bounty on that,� Patterson told reporters Thursday at a news conference. “I don’t think that’s something that you’re gonna see on this side.�

The new House speaker, a Republican, said House Republicans support legal immigration but don’t tolerate illegal immigration.

He also referenced the newly passed Laken Riley Act on the federal level, which requires undocumented immigrants accused of certain crimes to be federally detained.

“I think a lot of it’s being ... addressed at the federal level,� Patterson said. “But I haven’t seen any enthusiasm for bounty hunters over here.�

Dozens of people spoke out against Gregory’s proposal on Monday during an hourslong Senate hearing on his and another immigration-related piece of legislation. One person testified in favor of his bill.

In addition to the $1,000 payouts and bounty hunter program, Gregory’s legislation also authorizes life prison sentences without the possibility of parole if someone is knowingly in the state illegally and is apprehended by a bounty hunter or peace officer.

Opponents at the hearing Monday included the Missouri Catholic Conference, the Missouri ACLU, the city of St. Louis, and numerous individuals, including immigrants, representing themselves.

“A 10th grader, probably, could read this bill and say that it will increase racial profiling,� Karla Juarez, executive director of Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, said Monday. “It is simply racist.�

House Democrats are opposed to the measure, said state Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore, D-south St. Louis County, on Thursday.

“We see this for what it is. It is fearmongering,� Walsh Moore said. “And it is definitely a very bold step towards fascism. And we don’t want any of our immigrants feeling unsafe in Missouri.�

Refugee resettlement

Walsh Moore also commented on recent federal action under the Trump administration that has prevented the St. Louis-based International Institute from using federal money to help hundreds of refugees who have arrived in the last few months.

The money would have been used for items such as English classes, job training and housing and utility expenses, the Post-Dispatch reported this week.

Unlike undocumented immigrants, refugees have legal status in the United States. Walsh Moore said many refugees live in her 93rd House District, including from Bosnia and Afghanistan.

A Trump administration order pausing the federal government’s refugee resettlement program for 90 days took effect Monday.

Thousands of refugees cleared to come to the U.S. who were supposed to arrive last week had their flights cancelled.

In St. Louis, that included 120 people from countries such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, South Sudan, Burundi, Somalia and Venezuela. ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ were seeking safety in the U.S. after clearing months of background checks.

The cancellations also affected Afghan refugees who were supposed to be exempt because they had helped the U.S. military during the war in Afghanistan and had special visas, Blake Hamilton, interim president and CEO of the institute, said this week.

“The International Institute is now completely devoid of resources that they regularly provide to the refugees’ families — that, keep in mind, our government brought here to keep them safe because they helped us in our wars,� Walsh Moore said.

“It’s incredibly disappointing and I would love to see a reversal of this language and a welcome embrace of those that we have actually brought here ourselves,� she said.

The legislation is Sena