Arizona-style immigration law passes in Mississippi; Barbour may face decision

An immigration law based on Arizona’s has passed the Mississippi State Senate.

The bill, passed Tuesday, will allow state law enforcement officers check the status of people they think might be in the United States illegally.

The legislation passed by a wide margin with 34 state Senators voting in favor. Fifteen rejected their support after nearly four hours of debate.

The bill’s passage makes Mississippi the first state to pass a bill similar to the one passed and signed into law in Arizona. A number of states, including Colorado, are considering bills modeled off of the one in Arizona.

The bill’s chief sponsor, Republican Sen. Joey Fillingane of Sumrall, said after questioning from opponents that it’s impossible to know how many undocumented immigrants are living in Mississippi.

It is unclear whether the bill will pass the Mississippi House. It is expected that Republican Governor Haley Barbour will sign the legislation into law, however, the governor’s office has not released an official response.

Should the bill pass, it could have national implication. Mr. Barbour continues to float the possibility of a presidential run and any action taken on the bill will likely face scrutiny.

(Published by The State Column - January 19, 2011)