The Louisiana House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill similar to one passed in Texas that would allow state and local law enforcement to arrest immigrants who cross into the United States illegally.
Lawmakers passed the bill 74-23. Senate Bill 388 (SB 388) would make it a crime for illegal immigrants to enter or re-enter Louisiana.
SB 388 was sponsored by Louisiana Senator Valerie Hodges (R), who introduced the bill in March.
“We are being invaded and we find that many of those entering our country are known terrorists, criminals, human traffickers and members of drug cartels,” Hodges said. statement To Verite News.
This bill: passed it It passed the Louisiana Senate 28-11 on April 8, then went to the Louisiana House of Representatives and back to the Senate for concurrence. according to This was reported to the Associated Press.
After the bill is approved by the state Senate, it will head to the desk of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R).
What’s new: A Louisiana bill similar to Texas’ controversial immigration bill is one step closer to leaving the governor’s desk.
The bill was approved by the House by a vote of 74 to 23. The bill was debated on the floor for three minutes, with no opposition.
Background ⬇️https://t.co/yx3MhCB9VG
— Sara Kline (@SaraLCline) May 22, 2024
Under SB 388, illegal immigrants convicted of trespassing in Louisiana could face up to one year in prison and a $4,000 fine for a first offense.
Repeat offenders could face up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The passage of SB 388 comes as states including Iowa, Texas and Oklahoma face lawsuits from President Joe Biden’s Justice Department over similar illegal immigration bills that would allow law enforcement officers to arrest undocumented immigrants in the U.S. and deport them to their home countries.
Supporters of illegal immigrants say they are hard-working workers who pay taxes and fill gaps in labor-shortage industries, but the influx of foreign workers suppresses wages, drives up prices of goods and housing.
If SB 388 is signed by Governor Landry, it will go into effect if the U.S. Supreme Court upholds Texas’ Senate Bill 4, which is currently on hold as multiple courts consider its constitutionality.
According to the Associated Press, Louisiana’s immigration bill would go into effect if the U.S. Constitution is amended to “strengthen local border security powers consistent with the bill’s language.”
