'Nazi Germany Stuff': Civil Rights Atty On Proposed MO Bounty Hunter Bill
A newly elected MO House Representative wants to pay Missourians up to $1000 to turn someone in they believe is in the United States illegally. What could possibly go wrong?
The first part reads that someone in the country illegally is prohibited from voting in any election, receiving any permit or license to drive, receiving any public benefit, and becoming a legal resident of this state.
The proposed bill also calls for the Department of Public Safety to develop the “Missouri Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program.” That would certify Missouri residents to be bounty hunters to find and detain immigrants without legal status in the state.
“This does not make life better in Missouri,” Local attorney Javad Khazaeli told First Alert 4 Investigates Tuesday.
He called the proposed legislation the “worst written bill I’ve seen,” and said to put a bounty on someone’s head because someone believes they are here illegally is incredibly dangerous.
“As a civil rights attorney that’s great for me,” Khazaeli explained. “It’ll take one week for a Puerto Rican who has been harassed. This is a classic demanding papers, you must have your papers everywhere. This is Nazi Germany stuff.”
Khazaeli is a former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement prosecutor and said this program is a solution looking for problems.