ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - One of, if not, the most discussed bill in this Missouri legislative session has been a bill from a Missouri Republican that would offer a $1,000 reward to Missourians who report illegal immigrants to the state.
Missouri state Sen. David Gregory (R) out of Chesterfield, filed a bill before the beginning of the legislative session that would award a $1,000 bounty for tips that result in the arrest of a person present in the United States without authorization.
Gregory wants to authorize bounty hunters, usually employed by bail bond businesses to catch absconders, to track down people identified in tips.
And if the tip proves accurate, the person arrested would be charged with "trespass by an illegal alien," and subject to life in prison without parole if federal immigration authorities declined to take custody.
This week, there was a legislative hearing on the bill, which included a witness calling a state senator a fascist and lawmakers battling over whether the state should put a bounty on undocumented immigrants.
KMOX Legal Analyst Brad Young joined KMOX's 'Total Information A.M.' to discuss the bill from a legal perspective.
Listen to the player to listen to Young's takeaways and thoughts on the bill.
