Missouri lawmaker forms committee on crimes committed by unlawful immigrants

The Missouri House of Representatives has formed a committee to investigate crimes committed by illegal immigrants, ABC 17 News reported.

The group, chaired by Rep. Lane Roberts, seeks to "identify the extent of crimes committed by people living in Missouri and determine solutions to the problem," the outlet explained.

The decision comes as Republicans across the country seek to put the issue at the forefront of the conversation, both at the local and national levels, also rising the profile of murders that took place across the country like those of Laken Riley and Rachel Morin.

Democrats in the state, however, argue the initiative won't lead anywhere. "I think it's a waste of time. I think it's a waste of resources," said local lawmaker Tyson Smith. "We don't need this committee. It's just designed for political talking points to keep illegal immigration in the air."

He added that if Republicans were actually serious about tackling crime, they would form a "special committee on gun violence to crack down on the shootings that are happening all over our state."

But Republicans have argued that undocumented immigrants are leading to an increase in fentanyl smuggling and sex trafficking. "It has absolutely increased because of our open borders," said Republican Rep. Lisa Thomas.

Texas has recently passed a similar initiative in June, featuring a list of most wanted illegal immigrants. The list directly mentions the most wanted criminals rather than investigate the broader issue of crime by undocumented migrants.

All of its member are of Latino origin and have been accused of crimes ranging from aggravated sexual assault of a child to murder with a deadly weapon. Three of them have already been arrested.

In a press release accompanying the list, Governor Abbott said that the Joe Biden administration "dismantled every effective border policy his predecessor put into place," which resulted in "record high levels of illegal immigration, including dangerous criminals and terrorists who are a threat to the public safety of our state and our nation."

The initiative is the latest of a series attempting to crack down on immigration to the state amid heightened tensions with the Biden administration over the issue. The Abbott administration has taken different steps to deter migrants from crossing into its territory, many of them at odds with the federal government.