Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) has appointed a new House committee to investigate crimes committed by alleged illegal immigrants. Speaker Plocher has named a former Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS) director as the chair of the new House committee. State Rep. Lane Roberts (R-Joplin) chairs the new House Special Committee on Illegal Immigrant Crimes. Speaker Plocher joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri,” telling listeners that the committee will find out what crimes are being committed by alleged illegal immigrants. The Speaker tells “Wake Up” that they tend to be more heinous crimes. He cited a recent case reported in late June by 939 the Eagle’s Mike Murphy, who reports that five men believed to be illegal immigrants were captured in northern Missouri’s Macon County with a 14-year-old runaway from Indiana. Police say they were allegedly trafficking her to California. Murphy reports the five suspects are from Mexico and Honduras and are charged and jailed. Speaker Plocher is also concerned about fentanyl. The new House Special Committee on Illegal Immigrant Crimes holds its organizational meeting Thursday morning at 11 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. Speaker Plocher tells listeners that the committee will hold at least six hearings, adding that he hopes they’ll complete a report by the fall. The Speaker, who is term-limited in the House, emphasizes he wants the report to be thorough and that the committee has been given a broad scope. Some Democrats, including State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) say the committee is a waste of time and resources: