ST. LOUIS—A special state legislative committee on illegal immigration and crime held its next-to-last scheduled meeting Tuesday as it struggles to come to grips with what is possible with its mandate and the public’s view of that charge. 

Th formation of the Special Interim Committee on Illegal Immigrant Crimes was announced in July with a news release from House Speaker Dean Plocher “in response to rising concerns about illegal immigrant crime in Missouri.”

“The committee will collaborate closely with law enforcement agencies to assess criminal activities involving illegal immigrants in the state and devise effective solutions to address them,” it said. “The committee will use data to develop evidence-based policies aimed at reducing illegal immigrant crime. By addressing this issue head-on, the Missouri House seeks to enhance the safety and well-being of all its residents.”

The announcement referred to several high-profile criminal incidents in Missouri, including fatal shootings, a car accident and stabbings involving illegal immigrants.

But the committee’s chair, Rep. Lane Roberts, a Joplin Republican and a former police chief, has taken a different approach.
“Our focus here is crime. Not crime committed by illegal immigrants, but crime,” including crimes committed against those here illegally, he said. The problem is that the committee can’t locate good data that quantifies the number of cases where people who are here illegally are crime victims.

But panelists heard from several advocates who took the committee to task for its publicly announced charge.

“Most people, when they see the title of your committee are going to equate illegal immigration with Mexican American, that’s the just the reality of what’s happening outside. It’s unfortunate that’s the title of the committee, but we do know whatever happens with this committee with its report, there will be a national discussion with what’s happening in Missouri and unfortunately the title of this committee is going to be at the forefront. We know historically when this makes national news we’ll see a decline in immigration, said Ness Sandoval, a SLU sociology professor.

“This strategy will ensure that immigrant families and individuals will further distrust the institutions that are supposed to be in place to protect our communities,” said Brian Helling, with the Migrant and Immigrant Community Action (MICA) Project. “We want everyone who lives here regardless of immigration status, to be comfortable with law enforcement. We know that when people are fearful of law enforcement, they don’t seek help when they need it. This creates a cycle which makes our communities more dangerous, not safer.”

The committee will hold one more public hearing in Cape Girardeau, and then work on a final report. That report could include policy recommendations, including several broached Tuesday, including increased funding for legal services and community outreach to immigrants, as well as laws that would criminalize the use of cell phone technology or social media in the commission of a crime, particularly in connection with the sale of fentanyl.

“There’s going to be a report, I guarantee you that. Whether or not there’s some actionable items in there remains to be seen,” Roberts said.