KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas doubled down Friday, saying his plan to help bring migrants to Kansas City to fill staffing shortages is legal despite a letter from the state’s attorney general challenging Lucas’ proposal.
“Andrew Bailey’s letter is a political campaign press release with no legal effect, because, as he knows, he has no ability to supersede federal law. The mayor will continue to follow all state and federal laws while also building a Kansas City that welcomes all,” a spokesperson for Lucas said in a statement Friday.
Missoui Attorney General Andrew Bailey wrote Thursday that Lucas is entangling Missouri businesses in unlawful activity because state law prohibits companies from hiring immigrants without employment permits and transporting illegal aliens to the state.
“My office will do everything in its power to take legal action against any person or entity found to be in violation of these statutes,” Bailey wrote.
The difference between the two views are key terms.
Lucas uses the word “migrants” and repeatedly said he’s referring to people who have legal right to be in the United States and work in the United States.
Bailey repeatedly used the term "illegal aliens."
His office did not reply to KSHB 41 News’ request for clarification.
Overland Park, Kansas-based immigration attorney Valerie Sprout said there are several ways for people to earn legal status in the United States. She said in some cases immigrants who enter the country without a labor certification have to wait 150 days before they can receive a work permit. The waiting period is designed to curtail unlawful immigration.
Sprout believes Lucas is being very purposeful with his words.
“I’m hard-pressed to think of a status where you have permission to stay in the United States, but you don’t have permission to work,” Sprout said.
Last year, Bailey filed a lawsuit that argued some of the policies which grant people lawful status in the United States are illegal themselves. The lawsuit, which includes other state's attorneys general, is still pending in federal court.
Kansas City Councilman Nathan Willett wants more clarity from Lucas. He doesn’t want the mayor’s approach to turn Kansas City into a sanctuary city and filed a resolution ensuring Kansas City won't become a sanctuary city.
In sanctuary cities, local police departments do not limit collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on immigration laws.
Missouri law says sanctuary cities “shall be ineligible for any moneys provided through grants administered by any state agency or department until the sanctuary policy is repealed or is no longer in effect.”
Lucas argued because a state-appointed Board of Police Commissioners controls the city’s police department, only the state can direct the police department to enact policies to make Kansas City a sanctuary city.
Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe released a statement aligned with Bailey, using the terms sanctuary city and illegal aliens.
"Opening up Kansas City as a sanctuary city for illegal aliens under the guise of 'workforce development' is unacceptable, irresponsible, and dangerous. Missouri taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for the Mayor's woke initiatives," he wrote.
