DEPORT Task Force

I believe Michigan has a duty to protect families, uphold the rule of law, and treat people fairly, including those who broke the law when they immigrated here in the first place.

Too often, enforcing our immigration laws is treated as a controversy. A person who broke the law to get here should not receive special treatment once they arrive. We have rules for a reason. When those rules are ignored, communities pay the price in public safety, strained local services, and a system that rewards cutting the line.

That is why I introduced Senate Bill 40, which would create the Developing Effective Policies on Orderly Removal and Transportation (DEPORT) Task Force.

This temporary task force would bring together legislators, Michigan State Police representatives, sheriffs and police chiefs from large and small communities, county commissioners, local elected officials, prosecutors, and experts who fight drug trafficking and human trafficking. Their job is straightforward:

• Recommend policies that help Michigan facilitate the orderly removal of illegal immigrants.
• Develop training and guidance so local law enforcement and the Michigan State Police know how to interact with illegal immigrants and communicate with federal agencies.
• Encourage the state, local law enforcement, and others in the criminal justice system to help the U.S. Department of Homeland Security identify illegal immigrants already in Michigan’s jails and courts so they can be deported without delay.

The task force would report back to the Legislature quickly — with updates at one month and three months and a final report within a year — and then it would sunset. This does not create a new permanent bureaucracy, and it does not ask Michigan taxpayers to foot the bill for another layer of government because task force membership would not be a paid role.

Michigan should be a partner in federal removal efforts, not an obstacle. If someone is here illegally and already in our criminal justice system, the commonsense response is to identify them and work with Homeland Security on expedient deportation. This would protect neighborhoods, reduce taxpayer burdens for housing criminals and help eliminate the strain on local resources. It is also fair to the families who waited, worked, and obeyed the law.

Please review Senate Bill 40 and share your opinion using the form below. Your voice makes a difference.