Mo. Senate approves immigration bill after brief debate

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- It took barely an hour for the Senate to give preliminarily approval to legislation cracking down on illegal immigrants and those who hire them.

The measure would require police to check immigration status when they arrest someone, block many illegal immigrants from attending public colleges and withhold state money from cities with policies not to cooperate with immigration authorities.

The quick approval was a surprise.

One Senate leader joked that the endorsement messed up the floor debate schedule because debate was so short.

Sen. Scott Rupp, a Republican from Wentzville, says it's an evenhanded compromise. But he told reporters that he didn't expect to get it through in an hour.