As President Donald Trump tightens the nation’s immigration policies, lawmakers in Democratic-led states are proposing new measures to help immigrants and create legal obstacles for federal immigration officials. This resistance in states like California and New York contrasts with Republican-led states that are supporting Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, highlighting a deep national divide.
In his first week in office, Trump’s administration has taken several actions: halting refugee arrivals, fast-tracking deportations, sending military troops to the southern border, lifting restrictions on immigration enforcement near schools and churches, attempting to end birthright citizenship, and ordering federal prosecutors to investigate officials who interfere with immigration enforcement.
Hundreds of immigration-related bills have already been introduced in state legislatures, with more expected next week. Republican governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida and Bill Lee of Tennessee, have called special legislative sessions to support Trump’s immigration agenda.
Meanwhile, Democrats in states such as Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington are backing measures to expand health care and higher education for immigrants, restrict landlords from inquiring about immigration status, and block new immigrant detention centers.
A survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that many U.S. adults support stronger border security and deporting undocumented immigrants convicted of violent crimes. However, there is less consensus on some actions, with about 40% of American adults supporting the deportation of all undocumented immigrants, while a similar share opposes it.
Unlike in criminal courts, there is no right to a government-funded attorney in immigration courts. As Trump ramps up deportation efforts, some state measures aim to fund attorneys to defend immigrants in legal proceedings.
One leader of these efforts is New York Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz, who came to the U.S. from Colombia at age 9 and later became a U.S. citizen and lawyer. Cruz has filed several bills to aid immigrants, including one that would provide legal counsel in immigration proceedings and another that would authorize state grants for organizations to provide legal aid to those facing deportation.
“In a world where the threat of mass deportations is imminent, this legislation gives people an opportunity to fight for their rights,” Cruz said. She estimates that 60% of residents in her New York City district are noncitizens and notes that “people are terrified.”
New York is among several states that already fund legal aid for immigrants, but advocates are pushing for more funding than what Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed. “Investing in due process and fairness for immigrants at risk in New York is of fundamental importance,” said Shayna Kessler, director of a universal representation initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice.
Some legislative proposals would also fund attorneys to help immigrants obtain legal residency. For example, a bill by Oregon state Senator Lisa Reynolds would provide $6 million to help people change their immigration status or become lawful permanent residents. “Oregon has a proud tradition of helping recent immigrants, and we’re feeling more urgency around this now,” Reynolds said.
Since 1987, Oregon law has barred law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws, and voters defeated a measure in 2018 that would have repealed this “sanctuary law.”
Earlier this week, the Trump administration reversed guidance that had restricted immigration enforcement in sensitive locations like schools and churches. In California, about one in five children live in families where at least one person is undocumented, according to The Children’s Partnership.
California Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi is sponsoring legislation to make it harder for immigration officials to enter schools and child-care centers. The bill would require federal officials to have a judicial warrant and other documentation, and even then, they could only access areas where children are not present. “This is a top priority to protect all of our students, including our immigrant students,” Muratsuchi said.
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