Local Cops Authorized to Hunt Down Illegal Migrants
In Alabama and Florida, local cops are now authorized to hunt down illegal migrants. If some in Congress have their way, a proposed bill called the Clear Act, H.R. 2671, will make the practice national:
With more than 8 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, according to government figures, and 5,500 federal agents available for enforcement in interior areas beyond the border, advocates of cracking down on illegal migration see more than 600,000 state and local officers as a "force multiplier" that could finally and irrevocably turn the tide.
In Congress, a bill known as the CLEAR Act would transform what until recently has been a low-key experiment with local enforcement of immigration laws into a national crusade along the lines of the war on drugs. By setting up a system of financial penalties and incentives — including seizure of illegal immigrants' property — it aims to induce cities and states to take on immigration enforcement.
CLEAR Act stands for the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act. It is the brainchild of Charlie Norwood (R-Ga) and has 110 sponsors in the House.
The bill would make civil immigration infractions — such as overstaying a visa — criminal violations. States that fail to pass legislation authorizing police to enforce immigration laws could lose federal funding for jailing criminal immigrants. Additional money would be allocated to states that embrace the program. And local police departments could be rewarded with the proceeds of assets seized from illegal immigrants, including homes, bank accounts and vehicles.
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