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Minutes for HB2717 - Committee on Federal and State Affairs

Short Title

Prohibiting any municipality from preventing the enforcement of federal immigration laws, requiring municipal law enforcement agencies to provide written notice to each law enforcement officer of the officer's duty to cooperate with state and federal agencies in the enforcement of immigration laws and requiring any municipal identification card to state on its face that it is not valid for state identification.

Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 29, 2022

The Chairman opened the hearing on the bill and called upon Michael Heim for a revisor overview of the bill.

The Chairman called for testimony on the bill.

Proponent General Derek Schmidt claimed that the ordinance contains provisions that raise public-safety, pubic-policy and rule of law concerns. General Schmidt stated three points supporting his opinion that Kansas should cooperate and not have a patchwork of municipality approaches governing how state and local law enforcement officers and agencies may interact with federal authorities enforcing federal immigration law:

First, the overarching purpose and problem of the county ordinance in question is to impede the enforcement of federal immigration law in Wyandotte County by prohibiting or restricting the ability of local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement authorities.

Secondly, the identification cards authorized by the municipal ordinance fail to provide protection of state identification cards beyond the boundaries of a single municipality.

Finally, he stated that the obvious purpose of  the ordinance is to hinder or impede the enforcement of federal law through a policy of local non-cooperation. The General cited that the task specifically assigned to the federal government is enumerated in the United States Constitution and the ordinance represents an affront to basic rule-of-law principals. The General criticized the effort of "local politics to dictate non-cooperation with federal authorities attempting to enforce laws that Congress unquestionably had the constitutional authority (and duty) to enact."

(Attachment 1)

Proponent Sheriff Jeff Easter emphasized that the local ordinance is intended to obstruct federal investigations handicapping law enforcement's ability to protect immigrants who are victimized by criminal elements.

(Attachment 2)

Committee questions and comments ensued.

Opponent Sister Theresa Bangert described the processes and rationale behind the motivation to prohibit local law enforcement to cooperate with federal authorities.

(Attachment 3)

Opponent Judy Ansel focused on describing and justifying the elements of the Safe and Welcoming City Act and asserted that the local municipality knows what is best for its citizens.

(Attachment 4)

Opponent Connie Brown Collins asserted that the local municipality knows what is best for its citizens.

(Attachment 5)

Opponent Rabbi Moti Rieber asserted that in the absence of reform, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County felt compelled to refuse to comply with federal laws.

(Attachment 6)

Opponent Lindsie Ford claimed that the passage of this bill could be detrimental to immigrant survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

(Attachment 7)

Committee questions and comments ensued.

Written-Only Opponent:

Dr. James Perales, Self

(Attachment 8)

Monsignor Swetland, Self

(Attachment 9)

Emma Green, Safe and Welcoming - Roeland Park (S&FRP)

(Attachment 10)

Stephenie Iser, S&FRP

(Attachment 11)

Dr. Mildred Edwards, Unified Government of Wyandotte County

(Attachment 12)

John Goodyear, League of Kansas Municipalities

(Attachment 13)

Rija Nazir, Student

(Attachment 14)

Asma Easa, American Council on Immigration

(Attachment 15) 

Marcus Winn, MORE

(Attachment 16) 

Tyrone Garner, Self

(Attachment 17)

Mark Dupree, Wyandotte County District Attorney

(Attachment 18)

Michael Rebne, S&WRP

(Attachment 19)

Caleb Smith, Kansas Appleseed

(Attachment 20)

Rev. Rick Behrens, Grandview Park Presb. Church

(Attachment 21)

Andrew Davis, Self

(Attachment 22)

Christian Ramirez, Self

(Attachment 23)

Karla Juarez, Self

(Attachment 24)

Mellisa Stiehler, Self

(Attachment 25)

Seeing no additional testimony the Chairman closed the hearing on the bill.