A Republican lawmaker from DeSoto County introduced a bill on Wednesday that would offer a cash reward to registered bounty hunters who turn in undocumented immigrants to public safety officials.
House Bill 1484, authored by state Rep. Justin Keen, would create the “Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program.” If passed by both chambers and signed by Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, it would allow bail bond and surety recovery agents to find and detain undocumented immigrants. Those detained would be charged with “trespass by an illegal alien,” a felony with severe penalties.
For every undocumented immigrant turned over to the Mississippi Department of Safety and subsequently deported, $1,000 in bounties will be given.
“This program is about keeping Mississippi communities safe,” Keen said.
The second-year representative who formerly served as a sheriff’s deputy asserted that drafting the bill is in line with the priorities of recently inaugurated President Donald Trump. Trump, who re-entered office two days before Keen filed the legislation, has pledged to deport millions of people through a federal immigration crackdown. He declared a national emergency at the southern border and ordered the military to help expand detention space to transport migrants, among a swath of immigration-related executive actions.
Republicans in the U.S. Senate elected Monday night, just hours after Trump was sworn in, to pass the “Laken Riley Act” and send it back to the U.S. House. The legislation named after a Georgia nursing student murdered last year by an undocumented immigrant requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of and detain non-citizens who are charged, arrested, or convicted for committing acts of “burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting” in addition to violent crimes.
“We’ve seen firsthand the danger posed by bad actors and violent criminals who enter this country illegally, like the innocent life of Laken Riley,” Keen continued, explaining why he filed the legislation. “President Trump’s administration has made it clear that deporting illegal immigrants is a priority, and we are proud to do our part here in Mississippi to help support his agenda and protect our citizens.”
Keen’s legislation would also require the Mississippi Department of Public Safety to create a phone and email hotline along with an online portal in which residents can report alleged undocumented immigrants. The information system, including the online reporting tool, would be staffed by 65 off-duty or retired law enforcement officers.
Individuals who aid in the arrest and imprisonment of undocumented immigrants will also be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
According to DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton, who pushed for the bill to be written well before the session began earlier this month, over 1,000 illegal aliens were booked in the county detention center from 2021-24.
“This program is a vital step in assisting our law enforcement agencies to better enforce immigration laws and ensure that those in this country unlawfully are sent back to their country of origin,” Barton said.
The bill in Mississippi follows legislation filed in Missouri this past December to implement the same program. The bill there, which has seen swift criticism from organizations such as the NAACP, is still in the process of being debated.
As for the creation of the “Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program,” the legislation to do so is also expected to be subject to potential concerns such as an increase in racial profiling if passed and enacted. Hours after being filed, it was introduced and referred to the House State Affairs Committee.
