Missouri
Missouri Attorney General blasts Kansas City mayor’s open invitation to migrants – Washington Examiner
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey threatened legal action against Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas after the Democratic leader invited migrants from sanctuary cities to live and work in the Midwest state.
In a letter released Thursday, Bailey, a Republican, accused Lucas of offering an “open invitation for illegal aliens to come to Missouri” and claimed Lucas’s comments welcoming workers were “wildly irresponsible.”
“Make no mistake, my office will do everything in its power to take legal action against any person or entity found to be in violation of these statutes,” Bailey said, referring to a state law that makes it a felony to transport people who are in the country illegally.
Bailey’s letter prompted pushback from state Democrats who accused him of politicizing immigration in an effort to bolster support for his reelection campaign. The attorney general is facing a tough primary challenge in August, and Republicans have made immigration a key concern in the election.
On Tuesday, Lucas posted on social media that, “All are welcome in Kansas City.”
He linked to an article in which he said the local economy would benefit from workers seeking asylum or other legal status in the U.S. but who are stuck in crowded shelters in cities such as New York, awaiting work permits or other documentation.
The mayor issued a follow-up Wednesday, stating he was only talking about immigrants who were legally allowed to work.
“Immigration is a tough, but important issue, even when discussing, as I am, persons who are lawfully present, with lawful work permits, and the lawful ability to come to our community,” he said.
Bailey also took issue with Lucas’s clarification, stating that it ignored the underlying issue of the federal government’s handling of immigration.
State Rep. Peter Merideth, a St. Louis Democrat, called Bailey’s letter a “hateful political stunt” and “pure political garbage.”
Despite the motivation, Lucas’s invitation could quickly sour.
In several cities across the country, Democratic mayors have rolled out the welcome wagon for asylum-seekers only to watch it backfire.
In Denver, for example, the mayor and his predecessor made public pledges that no one would be turned away, but the city has had to make cuts to the police and fire departments to free up funds to house, clothe, feed, and school undocumented migrants who have arrived by the thousands.
In New York, Mayor Eric Adams was able to convince the governor to commit $2.4 billion to cover the cost of caring for migrants who were bused to the city, only to have to return to Albany in February and ask for even more money.
Chicago City Council members approved an additional $70 million in its continuing effort to help migrants Friday. The 30-18 vote came after more than an hour of heated comments.
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Budget Committee Chairman Jason Ervin acknowledged the deep division the migrant crisis has caused not only within the council but also with the public.
“Yes, this is a challenge,” Ervin said. “Do we want to spend this money like this right now? Of course not, but then again, we have an obligation and we have a responsibility to move this ball forward.”
MALDEN, Mo. (KFVS) – An investigation is underway after a shooting on Sunday morning in Malden, Missouri.
According to the Malden Department of Public Safety, officers were called to Kimball Street on July 19 for a report of two possible gunshot victims.
When police arrived, they found two people dead. Police later confirmed both people are dead.
Police say there is no known threat to the public and no other details will be released at this time.
Malden DPS, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are investigating.
Copyright 2026 KFVS. All rights reserved.
In the spring of 2021, Cecilia Williams lost her son, daughter-in-law and grandson to a drunken driver.
Williams, who lives in Bonne Terre, is now raising the two orphaned grandchildren who survived, Bentley and Mason.
A year later, Melanie Wankum was hit head-on by a drunken driver, killing her instantly and injuring a passenger on their way back from a wedding.
In both tragedies, families of the victims became advocates on their behalf, championing tougher laws in Missouri against drunken driving.
Soon after the crash that killed her son and his family, Williams found herself in Jefferson City lobbying for a bill that would hold drunken drivers responsible for children left without a parent after an accident.
It would require convicted drunken drivers to pay child support to the surviving children until they are at least 18, or 21 if they are still in school.
Named after Williams’ grandsons, the legislation was introduced in 2021 and signed by the governor five years later on July 9. Tennessee was the first state and Missouri was the eighth to pass a version of “Bentley Law.”
The child-support provision was included this year in Missouri House Bill 1740, which also stiffened other drunken driving laws. The additional provisions have become known as “Melanie’s Law,” to recognize the woman killed in 2022 by a drunken driver in Jefferson City.
Melanie’s Law changed felony classifications for DWI cases that cause injury or death to require longer prison sentences. It also expanded the mandatory use of ignition interlock devices for those involved in alcohol-related incidents. Missouri is one of 35 states with similar laws.
“The pain a family feels when a loved one is killed by a drunk driver is one that never goes away,” said state Rep. Dave Griffith, who sponsored the legislation.
The bill went through a number of revisions before it was passed, Griffith said.
“At each one of those steps, I think we’re very thoughtful about how we can make the bill better and how it’s going to affect the families that suffer and deal with this,” Griffith said.
“Driving while intoxicated is a choice,” he said. “It’s my hope that when people know the ramifications of making those bad decisions they will think twice before getting behind the wheel.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a national organization with offices in Missouri, has been consistently involved in pushing for enactment of the stricter legislation. Working closely with Cecilia Williams, the organization supported the Missouri bill until it passed.
“Cecilia has been dedicated to turning the tragic crash into a way to honor her loved ones, as well as raise awareness of the dangers of driving impaired,” said Tabitha Perkins, state executive director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
“For Missouri, we hope this bill will serve as a deterrent to individuals who drink and drive,” Perkins said. “Knowing that even after they are released from prison, they will still have a financial obligation to complete will make drivers think twice before they get behind the wheel of a deadly weapon in an impaired state.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fire crews battled a house fire Saturday morning in Kansas City, Missouri, that sent an occupant and a firefighter to the hospital.
The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department responded to a house fire around 10:10 a.m. Saturday in the 100 block of West 85th Street.
KCFD said one occupant was trapped inside the residence. Upon arrival, crews began battling the fire and entered the house to rescue the occupant.
Firefighters located an elderly woman and got her out of the house. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital in serious condition.
A KCFD firefighter was taken to the hospital for a minor injury.
A dog inside the residence was able to evacuate safely.
The fire department reported the fire was brought under control around 10:25 a.m. City Planning and Dangerous Buildings were requested at the scene.
KCFD is investigating the cause of the fire.
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