HB 2151 -- Missouri Immigration Act

Sponsor:  Guest

This bill establishes the Missouri Immigration Act.  In its main
provisions, the bill:

(1)  Creates the crime of being a noncitizen illegally present in
Missouri, a class D felony;

(2)  Authorizes the Attorney General to enter into cooperative
agreements with other states for the transportation of illegal
aliens through the state for the purpose of delivering them to
the United States Department of Homeland Security at a federal
border and authorizes multijurisdictional enforcement groups in
Missouri to train volunteers to do the transporting;

(3)  Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations,
beginning January 1, 2009, to accept applications for photo
identification cards from noncitizens for the purpose of seeking
employment.  The department must verify through the United States
Department of Homeland Security whether the applicant is legally
present in the United States before it can issue the card.
Beginning July 1, 2009, employers are prohibited from hiring
noncitizens without the card issued by the state department.  The
state department must maintain a web site with card search
capability by name for employers so they can compare the picture
on the web site with the picture on the card presented by the
applicant for employment.  Any person or business entity who
violates these provisions will be guilty of a class D felony;

(4)  Establishes the Guest Worker Program which requires all
immigrant employees in the state, whether legal or illegal, to
apply to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for a
photo identification card between January 1, 2009, and July 1,
2009, for the purpose of maintaining employment.  The employer
will pay any costs associated with filing and processing the
application.  Illegal immigrant employees must obtain employer
sponsorship to remain employed in the state or be deported.  The
state department must verify through the federal department
whether the applicant is legally present in the United States and
if the applicant has any criminal convictions.

(5)  Specifies that applicants without criminal convictions will
be issued a photo identification card specifying the applicant's
status whether or not the applicant is legally present in the
United States.  Applicants with criminal convictions will be
denied the card, and the state department must notify the
employer of the denial.  The employer will have three days to
either terminate the employee or apply for sponsorship through
the Guest Worker Program.  Applicants with criminal convictions
not relating to their immigration status will not be eligible for
employer sponsorship and will not be allowed to remain in the
state.

(6)  Requires an employer to check with the state department to
determine if the employee has applied for a photo identification
card if an immigrant employee has not presented a valid photo
identification card to an employer by July 1, 2009.  If the
employee has not applied for the card, the employer must
terminate the employee within three days;

(7)  Requires, beginning January 1, 2009, employers with
immigrant employees to post a specific notice of the requirements
and deadlines of the Guest Worker Program in an area accessible
to all employees; and

(8)  Specifies that any employee or employer who violates the
provisions of the Guest Worker Program will be guilty of a class
D felony.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated February 28, 2008 at 9:49 am