SB 2179 Summary

• Creates the "Mississippi Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act of 2011" to establish state policy of enforcing federal immigration laws through "attrition through enforcement."

• Requires law enforcement to attempt to determine immigration status during lawful stops when reasonable suspicion exists that a person is an unlawfully present alien, and mandates verification with federal government before release from arrest.

• Establishes new state crimes: willful failure to carry alien registration documents (misdemeanor, up to 30 days jail and $100 fine) and unlawful transport/harboring of undocumented aliens (misdemeanor minimum $1,000 fine; felony if 10+ aliens involved).

• Mandates all employers use E-Verify system to verify employment authorization; violations result in license suspension (minimum 10 days on first offense) or permanent revocation on second offense, with 3-year probationary reporting requirements.

• Creates Immigration Reimbursement Fund to reimburse county and municipal jails up to $20 per day for incarceration costs of undocumented aliens; fund finalized July 1, 2011.