In the first year under the Trump government, states and localities have chased immigration policies that serve the best interests of their communities.

While there have been extreme differences in those state-level strategies to immigration, general more states enacted legislation developed to protect, support, and informed their citizens, immigrants, and nonimmigrants alike.

As stated by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the entire amount of immigration legislation and resolutions passed in 2017 from U.S. countries and territories will be the greatest to date. Especially, 204 legislation and 269 resolutions associated with immigration were commissioned at the state level this past year.

In general, about 25% of enacted bills were the case in the past few decades. These laws generally suitable capital for immigrant and refugee services, education plans, or law enforcement.

The most critical trend in contrast to previous years has been an increase in the number of invoices explicitly covering authorities. Almost a fifth of enacted legislation addressed law enforcement problems, with 19 states together passing 38 bills. This focus isn't surprising, since only days after his inauguration President Trump issued an executive arrangement that signaled attempts forcing local officials to operate with federal immigration agents at the identification, detention and deportation of immigrants.

Policymakers at the state and local levels have responded with attempts delineating the function they're prepared to have in law enforcement activities --a duty that lies solely with the national authorities.

The following enacted statements demonstrate such attempts to disentangle local law enforcement officials and capital from the job of national immigration agencies:

• California's Senate Bill 54, or"Values Act," went into effect this month and pubs state and local law enforcement representatives (like security and school officers) from utilizing resources for national law enforcement. The legislation also restricts immigration authorities at courthouses, public colleges, and wellness centers, after forthcoming advice.
• The Illinois TRUST Act, signed into law in August 2017, made it illegal for Illinois authorities to stop, search or detain a person based solely on their immigration status and prohibits such officials from detaining someone for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with no judicial warrant.
• The District of Columbia embraced Resolution 75 in March 2017, which reflects that the city's dedication to"make sure the District government won't take part in any national immigration enforcement plans that undermine the rights and well-being of our citizens, employees, and people."
• Vermont and Oregon both passed legislation that prohibits state officials from discussing with the federal government specific private information of taxpayers.

State legislators introduced over 120 statements with this matter independently in 2017, normally seeking to establish or prohibit policies that restrict collaboration with federal immigration authorities. While the Vast Majority of those proposals sought to prohibit so-called"sanctuary" policies, just four such steps passed:

• Texas' contentious Senate Bill 4, passed by the legislature in May 2017, sought to punish and prohibit any nation and local officials' non-cooperation with national immigration agencies. But a Texas Judge stripped SB4 of its punitive measures.
• Many countries considered legislation that could pub educational institutions from passing policies to restrict cooperation with national officials. Georgia and Indiana enacted this legislation, and Mississippi's law also barred such coverages in both local and state authorities.

California and Texas illustrate two opposite strategies to federal-local cooperation on immigration. Increasingly, nations are diverging on those and other coverage issues, such as public security, schooling, health, and social services. Such stark differences affect the social and economic future of the United States as complete because these policies form the integration opportunities for countless immigrants and their children who continue to create lives and contribute to communities throughout the nation.

During 2017, many nations staked out their place and took a stand for policies that best serve and protect everybody within their communities. Policymakers at each level of government must adopt this strategy --we shall be much better as an outcome.

Laws for Immigration and Immigrants

NCSL monitors and reports on country laws and resolutions that address legal immigrants, migrant and seasonal workers, refugees, and unauthorized immigrants. The July report summarizes and defines all of the enacted laws from January-June. The year-end report summarizes and defines all resolutions and laws enacted, and highlights examples of laws that are new or tendencies. (Terms used in such reports by and large reflect the conditions used in state laws. In some country legislative language, immigrant immigrants will also be described as illegal or undocumented aliens or immigrants )

2019 Report

Enacted legislation related to immigration improved in 2019 by 3 percent to 181 legislation, compared with 175 legislation in 2018. 

2018 Report

In 2018, enacted laws related to immigration diminished by 15% to 175 legislation compared with 206 legislation in 2017. Lawmakers in 44 countries, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico enacted 175 legislation and 222 resolutions associated with immigration, to get a total of 397. 

2017 Report

In 2017, enacted laws related to immigration improved by 110% to 206 legislation compared with 98 legislation in 2016. Lawmakers in 49 countries enacted 206 legislation and 263 resolutions associated with immigration, to get a total of 469. Trends in 2017 included refuge policies, refugees, education/civics, and in-state tuition.

2016 Report

In 2016, enacted laws related to immigration decreased by 55% to 98 in comparison with 216 legislation in 2015. The number of settlements fell by 37 percent to 172 from 274. Lawmakers in 43 countries enacted 98 legislation and 172 resolutions associated with immigration, for a total of 270.

2015 Year-End Report

State lawmakers continued handling immigration problems in a range of policy areas in 2015. Enacted laws dealing with legislation improved by 26% in 2015, together with 216 legislation enacted as opposed to 171 legislation in 2014. The number of settlements rebounded to 274 in 2015 following last year's dip in action to 117 resolutions.

2015 Mid-Year Report

In the first half of 2015, enacted laws related to legislation increased by 16% to 153 in comparison with 132 legislation in 2014. The number of settlements bounced back to 238 following a year's sharp decrease to 84. Lawmakers in 46 states and Puerto Rico enacted 153 legislation and 238 resolutions associated with immigration, for a total of 391. Four countries didn't enact immigration-related laws in the first half of 2015: Alaska, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Ohio. The growth could be explained in part because each nation was in regular session in 2015, unlike in 2014 when five countries weren't in session.

2014 Year-End Report

Lawmakers at statehouses across the USA approved 171 immigration-related legislation in 2014, representing a 7.5 percent decrease since 2013, according to a new report issued by NCSL.

2013 Year-End Report

State immigration laws in 2013 appeared to change in response to new national policy to defer deportation for youthful unauthorized immigrants as well as the U.S. Supreme Court's conclusion on Arizona SB1070. Lawmakers in 45 states and the District of Columbia enacted 184 legislation and 253 resolutions associated with immigration, to get a total of 437, an increase of 64 percent in the 267 legislation and resolutions enacted in 2012.

January-December

While state legislatures appeared to hit the pause button in 2012, it was a popular topic, with almost 1,000 charge openings and 156 legislation enacted. State lawmakers pointed to additional problems pushing legislation to the back burner, especially funding shortages, redistricting, and impending litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court on Arizona's law enforcement legislation. State legislators introduced 983 resolutions and bills in 46 state legislatures, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, a decrease of 39 percent compared to 1,607 bills released in 2011.