Illegal migrants in Ohio could soon be jailed, fined or fired from their jobs thanks to proposed Republican law

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Illegal immigrants in the Buckeye State will soon be put behind bars and fined hundreds of dollars if the state adopts new laws aimed at illegally punishing residents of the country – which comes as questions continue to arise over the surge of Haitian migrants in Springfield.

The America First Act is scheduled to be introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives next week.

The Post has exclusively read an early draft of the bill, which aims to shore up federal immigration law at the state level. GOP state Reps. Gary Click and Nick Santucci are finalizing the language.

The new penalties in this legislation include a $500 fine and a year in prison – and double that for repeat offenders.

“The America First Act only addresses immigration that has already been deemed illegal at the federal level,” Click said in an email to other Republicans at the statehouse. “This bill does not and cannot solve all immigration problems. Policies at the state level cannot be comprehensive, but we can complement each other.

Click said the bill is intended to “send a message” to legal immigrants who “value America enough to knock and walk through the front door.”

“Ohio can do its part to support legal immigration by prioritizing those who follow the law and discouraging those whose first act in America is to break the law,” he told The Post.

Although states do not have deportation powers, this legislation would require immigration violators to leave Ohio within 72 hours of completing their sentences.

“The America First Act is an essential measure to keep Ohio communities safe. “Biden-Harris immigration policies have put Ohioans at risk by allowing countless unscreened illegal immigrants through our borders,” Santucci told The Post. “This bill will ensure that, at least in Ohio, only those who respect our country enough to enter legally will be allowed to remain.”

A spokesman for House Democrats said they were unaware of the impending legislation.

The proposal comes just weeks after Springfield, Ohio, became a microcosm of America’s immigration frustrations as Haitian migrants overwhelmed the city’s social services. The city made national headlines over allegations that some migrants ate residents’ pets.

But even in Ohio’s Republican-controlled statehouse, passing the bill could be difficult.

This is due to the politician’s oldest enemy: time.

Lawmakers “will not return until after the election and their General Assembly ends at the end of this year,” a Columbus-based GOP policy analyst told The Post.

When asked if the bill would even be enforceable, he replied, “I’m not sure it will be, but it’s never stopped the Ohio General Assembly before.”

Immigration is a serious problem in Ohio, and an aggressive approach could pay off for the GOP majority in the House.

Donald Trump has a comfortable lead over Kamala Harris in the state: 51.5% to 43.3%, according to the RealClearPolitics average. Two new polls also show that Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio is 2 points behind his GOP challenger, Bernie Moreno.