Montana House passes anti-sanctuary bill
The Montana House passed a bill (HB 50) that would prevent local jurisdictions from declaring themselves illegal-alien sanctuaries. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration.
state policies
State debate continues over denying, rewarding executive amnesty recipients
By giving certain illegal aliens executive amnesty, the Obama Administration forced states to decide whether such persons would be eligible for state benefits such as driver’s licenses and taxpayer-subsidized in-state tuition. Some states have made their decisions but more debate, especially in state legislatures, is expected in 2013.
Illinois Legislature Clears Driver’s License Bill for Illegal Aliens
The Illinois House sent Gov. Pat Quinn a bill (SB 957) that would give illegal aliens access to driver’ licenses. Quinn said he would sign the measure, which would give licenses to an estimated 250,000 illegal aliens.
Connecticut to issue driver's licenses to executive amnesty recipients
The office of Conn. Gov. Daniel Malloy confirmed the state will give driving privileges to illegal aliens approved for the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The details are currently being worked out.
Iowa DOT denies driver’s licenses to executive amnesty recipients
The Iowa DOT announced it will not give driver’s licenses or state identification cards to illegal aliens who receive executive amnesty under the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. DOT officials said Iowa law does not allow them to issue licenses or other ID to those who are not authorized to be present in the United States.
ACLU sues Michigan Sec. of State over denying driver’s licenses to DACA recipients
The Michigan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is suing Secretary of State Ruth Johnson on behalf of executive amnesty recipients who have been denied driver's licenses under her interpretation of state law.
Long Court Battle Over Okla. Immigration-Enforcement Law Ends
A four-year court battle between the State of Oklahoma and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ended this week when a federal judge approved an agreement between the parties that allows the state to implement certain provisions of its immigration-enforcement law but blocks implementation of other provisions.
Nevada to consider driver privilege cards for illegal aliens
Nevada Senate Majority Leader Mo Denis (D) plans to introduce legislation next session that would give driver’s privilege cards to all illegal aliens residing in the state. Nevada already offers driver’s licenses to illegal aliens who obtain work permits under the Obama Administration’s executive amnesty.
Calif. AG says police can ignore federal illegal-alien detainers
California Attorney General Kamala Harris issued guidance saying police can choose whether to cooperate with ICE in deporting illegal aliens under the federal Secure Communities program even if ICE considers participation to be mandatory. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca subsequently announced he will no longer hand over to ICE illegal aliens arrested for low-level crimes.
Illinois Senate moves driver’s license bill for illegal aliens
A committee of the Illinois Senate approved a bill (SB 957) that would give illegal aliens access to temporary driver’s licenses. The bill will likely pass during the legislature’s veto session since it has the support of prominent legislators in both chambers, including the Senate and House Republican leaders.
Pro-illegal alien groups sue Ariz. over denying driver’s licenses to executive amnesty recipients
The ACLU and other pro-illegal alien groups sued Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer today to block her executive order denying driver’s licenses to illegal aliens who get executive amnesty under the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. If successful, the lawsuit could affect other states that have denied licenses to DACA recipients.
Montgomery County, Md. Aids Illegal Aliens Seeking Executive Amnesty
The Montgomery County Council in Maryland voted to spend $100,000 in taxpayer funds to help illegal aliens sign up for the Obama Administration’s executive amnesty. The pro-illegal alien group CASA de Maryland will receive the funding and administer the outreach program.
Appeals Court Paves Way for Police Immigration Status Checks in Georgia
Georgia police could soon start conducting immigration status checks after an appeals court decision on Monday. The law will allow state and local police to check immigration status if an officer has probable cause that a person has committed another crime and the suspect does not have a driver’s license or other qualifying IDs.
Fewer Illegal Aliens Turned Over to ICE After Calif. Police Accept Matricula Cards as ID
Police in Sonoma County California turned over far fewer illegal aliens to ICE last year after law enforcement agencies decided to accept Mexican Matricula Consular cards as valid identification, The Press Democrat reports. Previously, illegal aliens without valid ID were taken to jail and run through federal databases under the Secure Communities program.
Mass. Governor Gives In-State Tuition to Some Illegal Aliens
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick directed state colleges and universities to offer taxpayer-subsidized tuition rates and fees to illegal aliens who obtain work permits under the Obama Administration’s executive amnesty. The change dramatically reduces tuition and fee costs for illegal aliens who, until now, had to pay out-of-state rates.
Federal Judge OKs Police Immigration Status Checks in S.C.
A federal judge ruled on Thursday that South Carolina police officers can now check the immigration status of suspected illegal aliens during a lawful stop. In a statement, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said, "Giving law enforcement this ability will make our state a better, safer place for all South Carolinians."
State Elections Produce New Opportunities, Perils for Immigration Enforcement
Most people focus on national elections, especially in a presidential year, but state legislative and gubernatorial elections also affect the policy calculus. Read on to see how the elections may affect pro-immigration enforcement or pro-illegal alien policies in certain states.
Immigration Ballot Measures a Mixed Bag
Montana voters approved a referendum that will curtail fiscal problems related to illegal immigration while Maryland voters passed an in-state tuition referendum that will add to the state’s fiscal difficulties.
S.C. Reports Immigration-Enforcement Successes
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announced that a special immigration enforcement unit conducted successful criminal investigations against illegal aliens in its first few months of operation. And the state reported that 92 percent of employers are complying with the mandate to use E-Verify for vetting new hires.
Courts Favor, Reject Efforts to Retain State Immigration Enforcement Laws
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of continuing police immigration status checks in Arizona, while the 11th Circuit Court denied Alabama’s request to restore enforcement provisions that were blocked earlier this year. The 9th Circuit Court also took up a separate case involving Arizona law.
L.A. Mayor Wants Official ID for Illegal Aliens
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has climbed aboard the bandwagon pushing for ID cards for illegal aliens. However under his plan, the card issued would be considered a full-fledged photo ID.
Despite Setbacks, N.M. Governor Continues Fight to Ban Driver's Licenses for Illegal Aliens
As part of a lawsuit settlement, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez's Administration will discontinue a program that cancels the driver's licenses of illegal aliens who fail to prove state residency.
L.A. Police Chief Snubs ICE Detention Requests for Certain Illegal Aliens
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck announced his officers would no longer hold or turn over to federal authorities illegal aliens that have been arrested in certain nonviolent misdemeanors.
Calif. Governor Vetoes Illegal-Alien Sanctuary Bill, Signs Driver’s License Bill
California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill that would have restricted police from detaining illegal aliens for ICE, but signed another that gives executive amnesty recipients access to driver’s licenses. Estimates suggest that at least 450,000 illegal aliens could get driver’s licenses under the new law.
Arizona to appeal judge's ruling on harboring illegal aliens
The state of Arizona is appealing a judge's decision from earlier this month that ruled that a provision in the state's illegal immigration enforcement law that makes it a crime to harbor illegal aliens is unconstitutional. The provision makes it a crime to transport, shield, or harbor an illegal alien within Arizona's borders, but federal district judge Susan Bolton barred the provision during her Sept. 5th ruling.
Farmers Branch Seeks Court OK for Barring Illegal Aliens from Rental Housing
Farmers Branch, Texas asked the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday to uphold a city ordinance that bans illegal aliens from renting in the town. In March, a three-judge panel of the Court invalidated the ordinance. It could take months for the Court to issue its opinion.
Georgia Local Government Agencies Could Face Sanctions For Immigration Law Noncompliance
570 city and county government agencies in Georgia could lose millions of dollars in state loans and grants due to noncompliance with a state immigration law requirement. The agencies have failed to certify that they and their contractors use E-Verify for vetting the workplace eligibility of new hires.
71% of New Mexico Voters Oppose State's Policy of Issuing Driver's Licenses to Illegal Aliens
A new poll conducted by The Albuquerque Journal found that 71% of New Mexico voters oppose the state's law that allows illegal aliens to get a driver's license. The paper found major opposition to the law across all ethnic groups, and only 21% of voters support the law. New Mexico passed a law that allows illegal aliens to get a driver's license in 2003.
Federal Courts Resurrect State Immigration-Law Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Arizona SB 1070 case has cleared the way for lower courts to resume cases involving other state immigration enforcement laws. Action is now pending in the Alabama, Indiana, and Georgia cases.
L.A. Considering ID Cards For Illegal Aliens
The Los Angeles City Council recently voted to consider a proposal that would turn a library card into a form of ID that illegal-alien residents can use. The card under consideration would enable illegal aliens to open or access bank accounts and sign up for city services.
District Court OKs Implementation of Arizona’s Immigration Status Check Law
U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton denied a request by pro-illegal alien groups to block implementation of an Arizona law that requires police, after a lawful stop and when practicable, to check the immigration status of suspected illegal aliens. Bolton gave Arizona and the U.S. Department of Justice ten days to work out the wording of the order that will officially lift her prior injunction on the law.
Rep. Duncan Hunter Drafts Legislation to Deny Federal Funding to States that Issue Driver's Licenses to Illegal Aliens
Rep. Duncan Hunter is drafting legislation that would deny funding to states that issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens who benefit from the Obama Administration's amnesty for young illegal aliens. In Rep. Hunter's home state, California, the state legislature has approved a measure that would allow illegal aliens who receive deferred action from the federal government to receive a driver's license.
Calif. Legislature Clears Driver’s License Bill for Deferred-Action Recipients, Punts 'Safe Harbor' Measure
Prior to its recess the California legislature cleared a bill that would give illegal aliens access to driver's licenses if they obtain deferred-action status under the Obama Administration’s executive amnesty. Pro-illegal alien legislators also attempted to pass a measure that would have given illegal aliens “safe harbor” in California but ran out of time.
California Sanctuary Bill Passes; Sheriffs Ask Gov. for Veto
The California legislature cleared a bill that would prohibit police from honoring ICE detention requests unless illegal aliens are convicted of serious or violent felonies. A number of sheriffs are now asking Gov. Jerry Brown to veto the measure. He has not taken a position on the bill, but must sign or veto it by Sept. 30th.
Federal Appeals Court Affirms Key Provisions of Alabama and Georgia Immigration-Enforcement Laws
In rulings issued yesterday, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Alabama and Georgia are likely to prevail in cases involving laws that allow police to check the immigration status of certain people suspected of crimes. The court also reversed a lower-court ruling that blocked an Alabama law prohibiting illegal aliens from conducting business transactions with the state and its local governments.
Civil Rights Immigration Briefing Turns from Meaningful Policy Debate to Pro-Illegal Immigration Circus
I had the privilege of speaking for NumbersUSA last week at a fireworks-filled field briefing of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on the potential civil rights' impacts of state-passed immigration laws. Instead of a civil discussion on the merits of state-passed laws, the Commission, led by Chairman Martin Castro, allowed the briefing to become a pro-illegal immigration demonstration.
California OKs Deferred-Action Driver's Licenses As Executive Amnesty Fallout Continues
A California DMV spokesman said Wednesday that the state will issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens who obtain deferred action under the Obama administration’s executive amnesty. California would consider these illegal aliens “temporary legal residents” in order to avoid the state’s illegal-alien driver’s license ban.
Arizona Gov. Re-Affirms State Ban on Public Benefits for Illegal Aliens as Federal Executive Amnesty Takes Effect
On the day that President Obama's deferred-action amnesty took effect, Ariz. Gov. Jan Brewer issued an executive order re-affirming that amnesty recipients are not eligible for drivers licenses and other public benefits under state law. The governor said the deferred-action program does not grant recipients a legal status that would make them eligible for public benefits banned under a 2004 voter-passed ballot initiative.
Arizona Moves Closer to Implementing Police Immigration Status Checks
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals this week affirmed the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Arizona’s SB 1070 law and sent the case to a federal district court for further consideration. If the case survives a last-minute challenge by open-border groups, Arizona could be authorized to implement for the first time a provision that requires police, after a lawful stop, to check the immigration status of suspected illegal aliens.
Sanctuary Policies Exacerbate, Not Solve Economic Troubles
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is the latest in a line of politicians touted in the media for laying out the illegal-alien sanctuary welcome mat and making their jurisdiction more “immigrant-friendly.” Notwithstanding the fact that immigrants are, by definition, legally present and not in need of sanctuary policies, these pandering politicians will not help their struggling cities rebound by creating havens for illegal aliens, irrespective of what the media say.
State and Local Governments Push Immigration Enforcement, Deny Illegal-Alien Accommodations in 2012
A number of state and local jurisdictions enacted immigration-enforcement measures in 2012 or fended off attempts to accommodate illegal aliens. Alabama revised its enforcement law without significantly weakening it while Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and three local governments enacted enforcement laws. Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Hawaii, Washington State and, so far, California denied illegal aliens the public benefits advocates demanded.
AZ Sheriff says new policy leading to 'roadside amnesty'
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said this week that the Obama Administration's termination of the county's 287(g) agreement combined with its new policy to grant amnesty to illegal aliens who meet certain criteria is resulting in what he calls a "roadside amnesty" in his county. Under the new conditions, county officers can no longer apprehend illegal aliens they lawfully come in contact with, but instead must call Immigration and Customs Enforcement and ask if the agency wants to take action.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett Signs E-Verify Bill Into Law
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (R) signed into law The Public Works Employment Verification Act (Act No.127), which requires all public works contractors and subcontractors with the state to enroll in and use E-Verify for newly hired employees. The law will take effect January 1, 2013.
Mass. Senate Follows House in Overriding Governor’s Rejection of Illegal Alien Vehicle Registration Ban
The Massachusetts Senate yesterday followed the House’s lead in rejecting Gov. Deval Patrick’s amendments to legislation that requires proof of legal residence when registering a vehicle. The Senate, which overrode the governor’s changes on a voice vote, is overwhelmingly controlled by Democrats who have shown an increased interest in addressing the traffic fatalities caused by illegal aliens.
Mass. House Overrides Governor's Rejection of Illegal Alien Vehicle Registration Ban
Massachusetts representatives rejected Gov. Deval Patrick's attempt to neuter legislation designed to ban illegal aliens from registering vehicles in the Commonwealth. The measure -- a part of the state budget bill -- now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Milford, Mass. Signs Up for IMAGE Workplace Eligibility Program
The Milford, Mass. town council voted unanimously this week to join the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program. A partnership with ICE under IMAGE helps public and private sector employers to avoid hiring illegal aliens and maintain legal work forces.
Poll Says Voters Endorse Police Immigration Status Checks For Their States
In the wake of the Supreme Court decision on Arizona's SB 1070 law and the Obama Administration’s executive “DREAM” amnesty, two-thirds of likely voters say they want their own states to enact police immigration status check laws. The Washington Times/JZ Analytics poll also found that 49 percent think illegal aliens should be "given a chance to get their affairs in order then sent home.”
Nevada Considering Legislation Following the Arizona Model
A few weeks after the Supreme Court upheld a key provision of Arizona's immigration enforcement law, a neighboring state is looking at legislation following Arizona's lead. Nevada Assemblyman Ira Hansen has submitted bill draft requests that would include the portions of Arizona's laws upheld by the Supreme Court. The bills would be considered during the 2013 legislative session.
Fear and Bloviating in Arizona
In the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling on Arizona's local immigration enforcement law, the executive director of the ACLU "said the group and its allies have amassed an $8.7 million war chest to fight state immigration enforcement," according to the Washington Post.
Penn. House Advances Immigration-Enforcement Bills
The Pennsylvania House passed two measures (Senate Bills 637 and 9) designed to shut off jobs and public benefits for illegal aliens. The bills now return to the Senate for concurrence votes. Legislators anticipate they will be sent to the governor for signature.
