JEFFERSON CITY – State Sen. Justin Brown, R-Rolla, has been named to chair the Missouri Senate Interim Committee on Illegal Immigration, a panel established to examine varying aspects of illegal immigration and its effects on the Show-Me State.

“I am looking forward to working with my colleagues on this pressing issue and finding solutions that will benefit everyone in our state,” Sen. Brown said. “Illegal immigration can have any number of negative effects on Missouri. We need to work toward commonsense solutions and be a standard bearer for other states to follow.”

The mission of the Interim Committee on Illegal Immigration is to understand and identify ways to discourage illegal immigration and capture revenues the state is missing from the underground economy. Committee members also plan to look into the abuses of out-of-state companies bringing illegal immigrants into Missouri to work without paying state taxes or obeying Missouri’s labor laws.

“In my opinion, the federal government has been lax in securing our border over the past year, and it’s time for states to step in and protect our citizens,” Sen. Brown said. “Our committee’s goal is simple, and we will work toward this goal as efficiently as possible. We want to hear from as many citizens and experts as possible to mark a clear path for our state for the years to come.”

For more information about Sen. Brown, visit senate.mo.gov/Brown.