How much will “deputized migrant bounty hunters” cost us in lawsuits and judgements?

Photo above - python bounty hunters, in Florida. Now states are proposing to deputize citizens to hunt and capture illegal aliens

Regular readers of this column will note that I take a nuanced stand on illegal immigrants. Immediately deport those who are charged with felonies. No paperwork ordering them to appear in court, months in the future. No sentencing to our already overcrowded prisons. Just send them back to wherever they came from. Which might be their home country. Or possibly Mexico, or even Canada. If a nation is going to facilitate breaking US immigration laws, that should have consequences.

That said, I am 100% opposed to Missouri’s plan to unleash ordinary citizens as “Migrant Bounty Hunters”. This can only create an epic disaster. Missouri has one the highest gun ownership rates in the nation – near 60%. In the 48 continental states, you’d have to go to Montana or Wyoming to find more guns per person.

Imagine the shouts of jubilee when Missouri’s Amazon pickers, store security guards, and deer hunters learn they can pick up extra cash stalking Juan or Mohammed. Imagine the armed confrontations, when some misidentified migrant resists capture. Imagine the lawsuits afterwards.

Wrongful death awards typically begin at $1 million and can go higher. A LOT higher. Florida (my state) just awarded $300 million to the family of a kid who fell off a theme park ride in Orlando. And a gun wasn’t even involved. What if “Florida Man”, with a couple of empty 40’s in his Dodge Ram, had shot this guy in the head? Sure, he’d go to prison, but any state that deputizes these guys will be on the hook for damages. The trials to AVOID paying damages could cost taxpayers as much as the actual court awards.

There's an easy way to save hundreds of millions in expense here: Let the professionals handle this. Sure, some felons will get away, but that's going to happen no matter what. We don’t need guys who failed the police exam, or got kicked off the force for brutality, running amuck.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Missouri Floats Program To Deputize Citizens As Migrant Bounty Hunters | Watch

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Dignaga

I'm fully expecting a ICE raid on my hitel come spring to summer. I think the hotel properly vouches direct employees, to the extent they have paperwork saying they can legally work (Mayorkas been handing it out to otherwise fully illegal aliens), but we also have a temp agency that is purely foreigners, and I am much less confident they did their due dilligence.

In order to pull off a successful raid as a deputized bounty hunter, you will have to have a warrant. You will have to present the warrant, and in order to do that some judge will have to have confidence in the evidence you presented is correct.

Then comes the problem of getting everyone to cooperate. Only immigration laws I've seen says I can't impede a ICE operation, but I haven't seen anything I gotta cooperate either. I'm a tall white guy, most can tell probably a military vet, but in order to avoid accusations of race targeting (similar to the TSA in airports) I know I'm gonna get pulled aside and told to prove my status.... and I'm unclear about my responsibility to reciprocate or give in- I may just jack them physically if they try to lay a hand on me, given I am clearly not a illegal, and if booked for jacking a ICE official infront of a ICE judge, a good question of why they were even bothering me should come up. Most of the white and black staff is going to be of mixed feelings- knowing they gotta go (the illegals) but also feeling it should be obvious we are americans.

We do have a few russians and a few africans- their accents give them away. I don't carry ID around with me, and don't care to walk down to the locker room to get it if there is teams of ICE running about double tapping me.

But I know in the end of the day they aren't gonna deport me to Germany or England. Just- I'm gonna be the equivelent of the white woman in a crowd of arabs in the TSA lineup, there purely symbolically to prove they were not just targeting minorities. I'm likely to bite the cameraman if he gets too close.

I am planning on getting HR to hire more homeless vets after the raid if a big chunk of the staff vanishes. I know a place I can get a trickle of them as candidates per month for HR to pick over. After that.... there is a whole street I've been giving blankets to, I'm sure a couple would be willing to work if the hotel becomes desperate enough.

MarthannBann888 · 70-79, F

@Dignaga

Just a suggestion, no judgement on any side, but you could make some copies of your birth certificate. Put one in your wallet. It might save some money and hassle.

Dignaga

@MarthannBann888 Come to think of it, HR has my passport, birth certificate and drivers licence on file.