Last month the Mississippi House passed HB 488, a harsh anti-immigration bill that would grant authority to local law enforcement officers to inquire about an arrested individual’s immigration status when they had reasonable suspicion that the person was living in the United States without authorization. The bill also followed Alabama’s lead and proposed barring contractual relationships between the state and undocumented immigrants such preventing an undocumented person from obtaining a state-issued identification card.
Yesterday the Mississippi Senate Judiciary B Committee blocked HB 488 from being considered. Thanks for your tremendous support! Undoubtedly, this outcome was due to the efforts by individuals, organizations, business coalitions, and law enforcement officials who spoke out against the bill and the damage it would inflict upon Mississippi’s communities, families, and economy.
Mississippi lawmakers will likely look for another way to advance the bill in the Senate, so please stay tuned for further updates. In the meantime, visit the LIRS Action Center to continue to stand for welcome, reject punitive state bills, and support federal comprehensive immigration reform.