Lawmakers advanced a bill to raise punishments for people who commit violent crimes based on immigration status on Monday. In addition to automatically increasing sentences for unauthorized migrants convicted of a violent crime, Senate Bill 426 would also require state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officers and forbid cities and counties from adopting sanctuary policies. Sarah Everett, policy director of the ACLU of Arkansas, spoke against the bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Republican State Sen. Alan Clark chairs the committee and voiced his approval for the bill. Clark compared it to the state of Colorado’s legalization of recreational marijuana, which he said attracts people to that state for a specific reason. SB426 is sponsored by Republican Sen. Bart Hester of Cave Springs. It now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.
