Louisiana GOP lawmakers advance bill similar to Texas' that would allow police to arrest, detain illegal immigrants

Louisiana Republican lawmakers advanced legislation on Monday that, if passed, would allow local and state police to arrest and detain illegal migrants, the Associated Press reported.

The Republican-majority state Senate passed Senate Bill 388 in a 28-11 vote with 14 co-authors, according to state Senator Valarie Hodges (R).

In a post on X, Hodges wrote, "Louisiana is one step closer to securing our border and addressing our illegal immigration crisis."

"It is imperative that, WE, as a State, protect our citizens in this time of invasion from the crime, drugs, and human trafficking that come with an open border," she stated in an earlier post.

Hodges told fellow lawmakers, "I know there are some people who have concerns about the bill, but what I'm mostly concerned about is about the people of Louisiana, what it's costing the state and what it's costing us in jobs, crime rate, and safety."

If the bill is passed, illegal migrants detained by local authorities could face up to a year in prison and $4,000 in fines. Those with more than one offense could serve two years in jail and pay $10,000 in fines.

Democratic state Senator Royce Duplessis and other critics of the legislation argued its legality, WVUE-DT reported.

"We just went through an entire crime session, and we are going to do all these things to deal with the issue of crime here in Louisiana, but now we are going to go beyond that and do the job of the federal government," Duplessis stated. "I don't think this bill will solve anything. I think all it's going to do is further a narrative."

The bill now heads to the state House of Representatives for discussion.

SB 388 "creates the crime of unlawful entry or reentry into the state of Louisiana by an alien," the proposed legislation reads.

Hodges and other supporters of the measure argue that the state has the "right to defend our nation."

The proposed bill is similar to Texas' Senate Bill 4, which was slated to take effect in March but is currently facing legal challenges presented by the Biden administration. The White House claims the measure "intrudes into a field that is occupied by the federal government" and "conflicts with various provisions of the [Immigration and Nationality Act]."

If Governor Greg Abbott's (R) office wins the legal battle, state and local law enforcement officers will be granted the authority to arrest, detain, prosecute, and deport illegal migrants.

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