Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt has introduced a bill targeting laws similar to one enacted by Wyandotte County that gives undocumented immigrants the chance to get a municipal photo ID and prohibits local law enforcement from working with federal immigration authorities.
The bill makes it illegal for any city to pass a law that would in any way keep a law enforcement officer from cooperating with federal authorities to collect and exchange information about immigration status.
The bill also prohibits a municipality to limit or restrict enforcement of federal immigration laws.
The legislation also would bar a municipal ID from being used to comply with state law for proof of identity. It would require for each municipal ID to state, “Not valid for state ID.”
There was no indication of how fast the bill would move now that it has been introduced as the legislation session has reached its mid-point.
“Citizens throughout our state deserve to know that wherever they may travel in Kansas, law enforcement officials are cooperating with federal and state agencies to fairly enforce applicable law and are not obliged to turn a blind eye to some unlawful conduct merely because of local politics,” Schmidt said in a statement Wednesday.
A spokeswoman from the Unified Government on Wednesday afternoon said that she was making an internal inquiry about a statement and would follow up later.
However, Democratic lawmakers from Wyandotte County criticized the attorney general for meddling in the affairs of local government.
“It’s unfortunate that we have the attorney general weighing into local control,” said state Rep. Tom Burroughs, who also sits on the Unified Government’s Board of Commissioners and opposed the ordinance.
“Once again we have state government intervening with local government,” Burroughs said.
Democratic state Rep. Pam Curtis of Kansas City expressed a similar sentiment.
“It is unfortunate that this is yet another attempt to take away local control,” Curtis said in a text message.
“We should be working to welcome immigrants into our communities and urging the federal government to pass immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship,” she said.
The bill was introduced about two weeks after Wyandotte County’s Unified Government decided to pass an ordinance – known as the “Safe and Welcoming” ordinance – that gives undocumented immigrants and others the opportunity to get a photo municipal ID so they can access government services.
The ordinance also prohibits any local law enforcement from working with federal immigration investigations unless the public is in danger.
Supporters said the ordinance would foster trust between Wyandotte’s immigrant community and the police by keeping them from cooperating or reporting immigration offenses unless there was a public safety emergency or a warrant had been issued.
They also said the ordinance would help seniors, immigrants, homeless people or those who have been released from jail who do not have a state ID to access services such as health care, enrolling their kids in school or cashing a check.
Days after the Unified Government’s Board of Commissioners passed the ordinance, Schmidt called on the Legislature to address “sanctuary cities.”
“The local government in Kansas City last night narrowly adopted an ordinance that, in colloquial terms, designates Wyandotte County in some ways as a ‘sanctuary’ jurisdiction for illegal immigrants,” Schmidt said in a statement at the time.
“In part, the ordinance attempts to prohibit or impede Kansas City law enforcement officers from participating or assisting in the enforcement of immigration law.”
“This action is the latest by a Kansas municipality to limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.”
While the issue has been kicked around in the Legislature before, Schmidt said now is the time for lawmakers to act.
“Every Kansan who visits Kansas City for shopping, dining, health care, recreation or any other purpose deserves to know that the local police department can fully participate in enforcement of applicable law,” he said.
