Sen. Josh Hawley introduces new state immigration legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KY3) - It’s been a record-breaking year at the U.S.-Mexico border, with more than 2 million migrant encounters, up from 1.7 million in 2021.

Recently, the Governors of Florida, Texas, and Arizona received both praise and criticism for bussing and flying migrants to cities like New York, Chicago, and Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, citing a lack of action by the Biden administration.

On Tuesday, Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley introduced the Empowering States to Deport Illegal Immigrants Act. He said it would give states the power to enforce federal immigration laws and prosecute anyone who entered the country illegally and is living in their state.

“Well, unfortunately, we are a border state for all intents and purposes because, in our case, the number of drugs that are flowing across our border,” said Sen. Josh Hawley. “Listen, I can tell you, even from my time as Attorney General, going on all across the state and talking with law enforcement, there is not a single community in our state that is not overrun with drugs, rainbow fentanyl, and meth. Sometimes we think of Missouri as a meth state, not made in Missouri anymore.”

Meanwhile, the Biden Administration is asking parents of children separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under the Trump Administration’s “Zero Tolerance” policy to undergo a psychological evaluation. According to a lawsuit filed by dozens of migrant families, the request is to determine how traumatized they were by the experience. Settlements for the families are being negotiated on both sides.

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