The Republicans leading a Kansas Senate committee suddenly ended discussion and took a pass on voting for a new immigration bill that would ban illegal migrants from receiving state benefits.
Committee on Federal and State Affairs chairman Sen. Mike Thompson (R) abruptly told activists for illegal migrants that the bill would not be discussed as scheduled last Thursday and then he cleared the room after several spoke against the bill. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach (R) was also on hand and spoke in favor of the bill ahead of the announcement that the committee was scuttling the discussion, according to the Kansas Reflector.
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In some respects, the bill (Senate Bill 254) is similar to those being considered in GOP-led legislatures across the country. Like those elsewhere, it would block the state from handing out benefits to illegal migrants. Benefits such as in-state tuition, food stamps, welfare, and other offerings would be prohibited if the bill were signed into law. But this bill would also allow courts to set a higher bond for those charged with a crime if they are illegal aliens.
AG Kobach said in support of the bill that it brings Kansas more in line with federal immigration law.
“I understand that this is one where some people disagree vehemently on the policy side, but there is no room for disagreement on the legal side. It is crystal clear what federal law says, and it is crystal clear that Kansas stands in direct violation of two federal statutes,” he said.
Chairman Thompson, though, claimed that the reason the issue was set aside last Thursday was because two of the 11 members of the committee were not at the meeting. As it happens, Republicans Tory Marie Blew and William Clifford were absent. But the committee did have a quorum and missing only two members should not have been enough to scuttle consideration of the bill.
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Still, the meeting had become contentious as pro-migrant activists tried to take control and launched extended attacks on the bill even as chairman Thompson tried to end the discussion.
Thompson became agitated when environmental justice activist Beto Lugo Martinez tried to keep speaking despite being told that the debate was closing. As Martinez continued talking over Thompson, the chairman ended the debate and cleared the room.
As he left the room, Martinez accused the committeemen of being racists who are on “stolen land,” and exclaimed, “You cannot just hear from one side of bigotry and racism and not hear from the people that are affected whose land you are all on!”
SB 254 has not been rescheduled for a committee hearing.
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