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Faith and immigrant-rights groups urge committee to oppose SB 452, warn of reduced accountability
Summary
Rabbi Moti Reber and representatives of immigrant-rights groups told the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee SB 452 would extend protections and operational authority to federal immigration enforcement (ICE) and could chill protests and reduce legal accountability; they urged rejection or substantial amendments.
Opponents of Senate Bill 452 told the Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee the measure would expand federal immigration enforcement authority in Kansas and reduce accountability for harmful conduct by federal agents.
Rabbi Moti Reber, executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action, said he opposed the bill on moral and constitutional grounds and warned the measure would provide legal protections and immunity to federal immigration enforcement. Quoting Exodus, Reber framed his testimony in religious terms and said the bill “is specifically written to bring this to Kansas through legal protection and immunity.” He described actions by federal immigration agents in other states and urged the committee to vote down SB 452.
Yasmin Valdez of the Kansas Latino Community Network told the committee SB 452 “expands federal immigration enforcement authority inside Kansas while reducing accountability and guardrails.” Valdez said the bill’s interference language is vague and risks criminalizing constitutionally protected activities such as recording public enforcement activity or peaceful protest, and she raised concerns about extending tort-immunity protections without equivalent training or oversight for federal agents.
Committee members asked opponents whether they could propose narrower language that would preserve public-safety tools while protecting civil liberties; opponents said they would offer alternatives and flagged the need to exclude or treat ICE differently because of different oversight and training structures. Several senators pressed for concrete amendment language and the chair said he would consult the attorney general and staff on immunity questions before deciding to work the bill.
Opponents’ testimony underscored the central tension in committee deliberations: supporters frame SB 452 as a public-safety tool to address obstruction of federal operations; opponents say the bill’s drafting risks extending broad protections to federal immigration enforcement and narrowing legal recourse for harmed residents. The committee closed the hearing with no vote and scheduled further bill work and possible amendments before final action.
