Mississippi Wants to Pay Bounty Hunters a $1K Reward to Hunt Down Illegal Immigrants

Nationwide — DeSoto County in Mississippi has introduced a controversial plan to reward individuals $1,000 for reporting undocumented immigrants. The proposed “bounty hunter” program, House Bill 1484, aims to assist ICE in deportation efforts, funded by state resources.

State Representative Justin Keen authored the bill which is officially called the Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program. If approved, registered bounty hunters will work with law enforcement in DeSoto County to identify and report undocumented individuals.

District Attorney Matthew Barton emphasized the program’s role in enforcing immigration laws and reducing the number of undocumented immigrants in the area. According to Barton, over 1,000 undocumented immigrants have been detained in DeSoto County over the past four years.

“This program is a vital step in assisting our law enforcement agencies to better enforce immigration laws and ensure that those in this country unlawfully are sent back to their country of origin,” Barton said, according to WLBT.

The funding will come from the state’s general assembly and be managed by the state treasurer. Donald Trump, who is known as an outspoken critic of illegal immigration, has pushed for stronger immigration laws under his presidency.