Jackson County

Legislators heavily criticized the bill, which would set the stage for the possibility of separating Kansas City and Jackson County. They also asked why a question about separation would appear on a statewide ballot every 10 years until approved by voters.

A reopened private prison outside of Kansas City is already ramping up as an immigration detention facility. But resistance in both Democratic and Republican cities points to broader unease with the direction of immigration enforcement.

On April 7, voters around Kansas City, Missouri, will decide a number of critical local issues in their communities. That includes multiple school board races, whether to renew Kansas City’s earnings tax, who will lead Independence, and more.

A bill sponsored by a Grain Valley Republican would allow a license or permit issued by Jackson County to be valid for a mobile food business operating under any municipality in the county.

Despite cries that it was “performative politics,” Chair Manny Abarca said the plan puts the county on record as opposing “the caging of people.” A second measure that would have barred federal immigration agents from wearing masks was held for legal concerns.

Diana Knapp, the county’s director of corrections for eight years, is leaving just as the new $317 million county detention center is set to open this spring. Sheriff Darryl Forte said the resignation "may create some uncertainty" and ultimately, a new chief will be hired.

After being charged in Hutchinson, Kansas with harassment, the Johnson County district attorney asked a judge to revoke his bond. “A defendant on bond who reoffends against the same victim threatens public safety,” the motion said.

Missouri state Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Grain Valley, says he's seen a decrease of teen employment in his district. He wants to create a separate minimum wage of $12.30 for people under 18.

Last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised and reduced the childhood immunization schedule, paring down the recommended vaccines. That change won’t impact access to vaccinations, but Kansas City health officials believe it will heighten the burden on parents and providers.

Missouri Mental Health Director Valerie Huhn told state lawmakers that the department and courts need options to get defendants treatment in their communities.

The Jackson County Legislature is considering requiring federal officers to keep their faces and badges visible while conducting immigration enforcement actions. The Department of Homeland Security insists masking protects federal law enforcement from doxing and physical attacks.

Sheriff Darryl Forte said lawmakers have a duty to prioritize community concerns over politics. Jackson County Legislative Chair Manny Abarca, who introduced the measure to ban masks, countered that accountability “shouldn’t be a problem for good cops.”