State Sen. Jim Runestad wants Michigan to enforce federal immigration laws, and he introduced legislation on Wednesday to ensure it is.
“Illegal immigration is not a victimless crime. It robs opportunities for work from unemployed and underemployed citizens and legal residents, and it costs the state a tremendous amount of money,” the White Lake Republican said in a statement. “Thanks to the Trump administration, illegal border crossings are at a historic low, but Michigan also needs to do its part.
“I have introduced commonsense safeguards to protect Michiganders and ensure we do not encourage illegal immigration in our state,” he said.
Runestad, chair of the Michigan Republican Party, introduced Senate Bill 444 to require all public and private employers to verify the citizenship status of prospective employees by using the federal E-Verify system established by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.
The federal legislation was signed into law by Democratic President Bill Clinton, who promised it would strengthen “the rule of law by cracking down on illegal immigration at the border, in the workplace, and in the criminal justice system – without punishing those living in the United States legally.”
E-Verify is a web-based system run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that allows employers to electronically confirm employment eligibility.
Runestad also introduced Senate Bill 445 on Wednesday to require the Michigan Department of Corrections to track and report on the citizenship status of inmates, which is currently not required from state prisons.
“We have no idea how many illegal immigrants are being housed by MDOC as opposed to being turned over to the federal government for proper adjudication and deportation,” Runestad said. “These criminals need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and not allowed to eat up taxpayer dollars in state prisons.”
Both bills were referred to the Senate Committee on Government Operations, which is led by Democrats who are generally opposed to increased immigration enforcement.
The legislation is among several other bills pending in the Michigan legislature aimed at bolstering the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, initiated as promised on the first day of President Donald Trump’s second term.
In February, Sen. Jonathan Lindsey, R-Coldwater, introduced his plan to establish the Developing Effective Polices on Orderly Removal and Transportation Task Force, known as the DEPORT Task Force.
Lindsey’s Senate Bill 40 “would work rapidly to develop policies promoting President Trump’s efforts to remove dangerous criminals from Michigan communities,” he said in a statement.
Under the proposal, the Michigan House speaker would pick the task force members. The 15-member task force would include state legislators, law enforcement members and those with experience combatting human and drug trafficking, focused on aligning state and federal immigration policy.
SB 40 was referred to the Senate Committee on Government Operations, where it has languished since February 4.
That was the same month members of the Republican-controlled House voted to adopt House Resolution 14, which blocks legislative earmarks for local governments that provide sanctuary to illegal immigrants.
“If local governments avoid their duty to protect their communities, they shouldn’t get special earmarks from state taxpayers,” state Rep. Mike Harris, R-Waterford, said a news release. “With this measure, we’re turning off the spigot for politicians who thwart public safety.”
House Republicans followed up the resolution with three bills introduced by state Rep. James DeSana, R-Carleton, in April to block “any payment” from the state to sanctuary jurisdictions.
“Michigan dollars should be focused on helping our seniors, schools, working families, and people who are working hard to get back on their feet, not individuals who have entered illegally and skipped the process to stay here,” DeSana said in a statement. “Every dollar we spend for illegal aliens, is a dollar that we aren’t spending to help those who need it and earned it.”
The legislation cleared the House on a vote of 57-49 in May and is now wasting away in the Senate Committee on Government Operations.
On Tuesday, state Rep. Josh Schriver, R-Oxford, introduced House Resolution 128 to encourage county sheriffs and police departments to join Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 287(g) program, which grants some federal immigration enforcement authority to local officers.
