A group of conservative Republican state legislators in Michigan is advocating for stricter measures to address undocumented immigration.
On Wednesday, members of the House Freedom Caucus introduced a package of five bills aimed at addressing immigration issues. The proposed legislation includes making it a state-level offense to reside in Michigan without official legal status. Additionally, the bills seek to penalize local governments that do not adhere to federal immigration policies.
State Representative Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers) voiced support for the proposed measures, stating, “Let’s stop the insanity. Let’s stop illegal immigration and return to common-sense policies.”
However, the lawmakers acknowledge that the chances of these Republican-sponsored immigration bills passing in the Democratically-controlled state Legislature are slim. State Representative Matt Maddock (R-Milford) commented, “The Democrats run this town, so until we elect more Republicans in this state, we’re probably not going to get much of this done.”
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden announced plans on Tuesday to implement significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. The move is seen as an attempt by the White House to address immigration concerns ahead of the November elections.
The presidential proclamation aims to deny asylum to migrants when U.S. officials determine that the southern border is overwhelmed. This action follows months of contemplation by the Democratic president, following the collapse of a bipartisan border security deal in Congress. The deal was rejected by most Republican lawmakers under the influence of former President Donald Trump, who is seen as the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
Advocates argue that the new measures will endanger migrants and violate international obligations to provide safe haven to individuals facing life-threatening situations.