Blunt puts 300 illegal immigrants behind bars

Date: September 23, 2008
By: Max Hyman
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 300 illegal aliens are behind bars and the Governor's office issues the praise to the state's chief executive.

RunTime:1:36
OutCue: SOC

August 2007 saw Governor Matt Blunt order state law enforcement agencies to check the immigration status for anyone put up for jailtime.

That led to the Missouri State Highway Patrol locking up 300 hundred illegal immigrants.

Gov. Blunt's communications director Jessica Robinson says the directive was his way to keep Missouri safe.

Actuality: ROBIN1.WAV

Run Time: 00:10

Description: The governor's directive was an opportunity and a way to ensure that illegal immigrants were not here in addition to being here but also breaking the law.

Robinson also said the directive was a part of the governor's widescale plan to decrease unauthorized foreigners in the state.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Max Reiss. 1120 KMOX News.

Intro: Gov. Matt Blunt's office says his immigration directive led to the detainment of 300 illegal immigrants.

Max Reiss (REECE) has more from Jefferson City.

RunTime:
OutCue: SOC The governor's office issued a press release late Monday morning which lauded Blunt's August 2007 directive to crack down on illegal immigration. Missouri State Highway Patrol Lieutenant John Holz says his agency is the reason so many illegal foreigners are behind bars.

Actuality: HOTZ1.WAV

Run Time: 00:15

Description: The number that was put out in the news release was the number of people that have been arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on other charges and then presented for incarceration. At which point, the checks were made and those people were found to be in the country illegally.

Governor Blunt also signed a wide ranging immigration bill into law this summer which prohibits illegal immigrants from getting hired for jobs and receiving drivers licenses. Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Max Reiss. 1120 KMOX News.

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