Hundreds of advocates rallied on the steps of the Missouri Capitol on Tuesday against a bill that targets undocumented immigrants.
Inspired by Alabama’s tough anti-immigration law, SB590 would create various checkpoints where state and local government officials would check the immigration status of anyone who they suspect of being undocumented.
In addition, the bill would require schools to check the status of incoming students.
“This is, we feel, against the spirit of Missouri and against the spirit of how our nation was formed,” said Fiazan Syed, Missouri chapter member of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). “Everybody here is an immigrant, and everybody here that comes should have the right to work freely and should not be harassed by the government of the country they live in.”
An immigration lawyer from St. Louis, Jim Hacking, believes that immigrants have become a scapegoat in the struggling economy.
“Immigration reform is needed but it’s not an issue for states to tackle. The federal government has to fix the problem,” said Mr. Hacking.
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