Lynn Fitch wants to help the Trump administration round up illegal immigrants. The Mississippi attorney general has announced that she has signed her office up to help federal authorities identify illegal immigrants and initiate the process to get them deported.
This makes Fitch’s office the only agency in the state to take on what is really a federal responsibility. Only two other attorneys general in the country have so far signed up to participate in this immigration enforcement partnership, according to Magnolia Tribune. This new endeavor might be OK if Fitch’s office were caught up on its state job, but it’s not. Other statewide officials have complained regularly about how little gets done by the attorney general when it comes to enforcing campaign finance laws, pursuing claims against public officials who have misspent government funds or misused government resources, or enforcing other laws, such as the state’s ban on foreign ownership of agricultural land.
Fitch has a bad habit of picking and choosing the laws those she gives her attention, often choosing those where there is a political advantage for her.
It’s easy to pick on illegal immigrants, who can’t vote and have no political clout. That takes no courage. What does require courage is to go after other public officials and risk their ire and that of their friends when the next election rolls around.
The voters should see through this. Fitch is playing up to the Trump base in Mississippi, as she eyes a possible run for governor in 2027.
Illegal immigration may be a major national concern, but it’s a minor issue in Mississippi. In fact, Mississippi has arguably been a net beneficiary of illegal immigration, when considering the work in agriculture, food-processing and construction that might have gone undone if not for illegal immigrants.
There are much bigger state matters on which Fitch and her office should focus. She should leave enforcing the immigration laws to the feds.
