Kansas committee hears opponents of SCR 16-02 urging governor to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement

Chair Kessler opened a hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution 16-02, a concurrent resolution that “basically urges the governor to fully cooperate with the Trump administration in enforcing immigration laws in the state of Kansas,” the Reviser's Office told the committee.

The resolution, as described by the Reviser's Office, “encourages the governor to use her lawful authority to help secure United States borders, including offering assistance through the Kansas National Guard.” The measure is a statement of the Legislature’s view rather than a statutory change.

Sister Therese Bangert, a Sister of Charity who said she has lobbied the Kansas Legislature for decades, testified in opposition. “I agree that we have a broken immigration system,” she told the committee, and said the state’s agricultural and meat‑packing workforces rely on immigrant…