BOISE, ID – Idaho House members on Thursday voted on a third proposal to mandate law enforcement to enter into formal agreements with federal immigration authorities. However, the procedure by which the bill was brought violated Senate rules, and the bill died on arrival to the chamber across the Capitol rotunda.
On the House floor, Coeur d’Alene Republican Rep. Jordan Redman expressed frustration that several attempts to pass immigration-related legislation have failed to move forward. He said the bill, which was the result of a “hostile” takeover the night before, was “the last opportunity we have.”
Members voted 37-29, with four people absent, to approve Senate Bill 1247 — which on Wednesday evening was “radiator capped,” a process by which the entire contents of a bill are deleted and amended to be a completely different bill. The amendments added mostly the same language as House Bill 659 — which the House previously passed, but it died in a Senate committee.
Debate lasted around 45 minutes, with several opponents expressing frustration with the process by which the new bill came to be and many citing the strong opposition by Idaho law enforcement groups.
Idaho law enforcement frustrated by Legislature’s new immigration bills
The bill requires all local and county law enforcement agencies in the state to apply to the 287(g) program with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which allows local law enforcement to perform limited immigration enforcement actions. If the agency “is unable” to enter an agreement, the agency must publish a statement “declaring the reasons for its inability to enter the memorandum and any efforts made to establish alternate cooperation with enforcement and removal operations of immigration and customs enforcement.”
Supporters said there’s strong constituent support for more to be done in immigration enforcement.
“We are a conservative state, and on this issue, we can’t seem to take a step forward,” said Fernwood Republican Rep. Dale Hawkins, another sponsor of the amendments to take over SB 1247. “And I got to be honest with you, folks, I don’t understand that.”
Lawmakers disagreed as to whether requiring application to the agreements would be ceding too much control to the federal government.
“I am supportive of our local, regional and state law enforcement working with federal law enforcement when it is appropriate to do so,” Rexburg Republican Britt Raybould said. “But the idea that we would allow and encourage the federal overriding of the discretion of our local law enforcement does not sit well with me.”
Senators reject amendments that changed bill
The bill sponsor of SB 1247 before it was radiator capped, Sen. Mark Harris, a Soda Springs Republican, asked the chamber to reject the amendments on Thursday afternoon.
Harris said the amendments violated a Senate rule that prevents bill amendments from including the text from other legislation that’s already pending in the Senate. Harris told the Idaho Capital Sun that, because the text of the bill mirrored that in House Bill 659, which was held in committee, and Senate Bill 1441, which in the Senate’s “14th Order,” where it may be amended, it didn’t comply with Senate rule 28(d).
No senator objected to Harris’ request for unanimous consent to reject the amendments, which stopped the bill from moving forward this year.
White House has reportedly pressured state lawmakers to approve 287(g) program
After a Senate committee rejected the original House Bill 659, Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon proposed SB 1441, which was another proposal to mandate 287(g) agreements for all law enforcement.
Law enforcement accused the lawmakers of bending to pressure from top immigration adviser for President Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, KIFI Local News 8 reported.
Another White House adviser, Deputy Assistant to the President Alex Meyer, encouraged senators to support SB 1441 to expand the 287(g) program in a letter obtained by the Idaho Capital Sun.
“The 287(g) program dramatically expands U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reach and keep Idaho communities safe from dangerous illegal criminal aliens,” the March 26 letter said. “… we encourage the swift passage of this important measure.”
Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com.
