State and Local
New Playbook Tracks State and Local Government Responses to Heightened Federal Immigration Enforcement
As federal immigration arrests reach record highs, state and local leaders are grappling with how to protect communities from an increasingly indiscriminate and violent immigration enforcement system. Now, a new interactive resource from the American Immigration Council and Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) helps jurisdictions… Read More
States Advance ICE Masking Bans, Data Protections, and Immigration Enforcement Guardrails in 2026
Written by: Julian Montes-Sharp. State and Local Initiatives Intern Midway through the year, with over 30 state legislatures adjourned, emerging trends show how some states are taking up policies to protect immigrant communities. Having seen nearly 18 months of the second Trump administration’s immigration agenda, many state… Read More
Mullin’s Proposal to Pull Customs From ‘Sanctuary City’ Airports Would Be a Disaster. There’s a Better Way Forward.
U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin faced hard questions from members of Congress this week as he doubled down on threats to halt international air traffic in so-called “sanctuary cities” like Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City. The Trump administration has repeated this sweeping threat… Read More
Illinois Commission Finds Federal Misconduct During Operation Midway Blitz
The Illinois Accountability Commission, the first state effort to investigate federal immigration enforcement misconduct, recently released its long-awaited report that creates a public record of the actions taken by federal immigration agents during Operation Midway Blitz. The operation saw thousands of federal agents target the Chicago area in… Read More
New Report: Immigrants Power Ohio’s Workforce and Pay Billions in Taxes
Immigrants in Ohio earned $27.3 billion in income and paid $7.3 billion in local, state, and federal taxes in 2023 Ohio, April 9, 2026 – New research from the American Immigration Council underscores the crucial role that immigrants play in Ohio’s economy, filling jobs in critical industries, strengthening the workforce, and contributing billions in taxes each year. The new report was prepared in partnership with … Read More
New Cohort Selected for the Gateways for Growth Challenge
WASHINGTON DC & DECATUR, GA, December 15, 2025 — The American Immigration Council (the Council) and Welcoming America, two national nonprofits, are pleased to announce that over 10 local communities have been selected to receive Gateways for Growth Challenge (G4G) awards as part… Read More
Charlotte’s Immigrant Community Continues to Fight for What They Helped Build
Pictures and videos poured onto social media over the weekend and early this week showing unsettling images of Border Patrol agents descending on Charlotte, North Carolina. The city had been on high alert since last week, as reports surfaced that the operation would involve armored vehicles and as… Read More
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Block on Iowa’s Unconstitutional Anti-Immigrant Law
Ruling Protects Families and Upholds Constitutional Limits on State Power Oct 23, 2025, WASHINGTON DC — In a sweeping victory for immigrant communities and the rule of law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit today upheld an injunction blocking Iowa’s… Read More
287(g) Agreements With ICE Threaten Welcoming Communities
This month, during Welcoming Week, neighborhoods across the country hosted cultural events, shared meals, and created spaces where immigrants and long-time residents could connect. But just as communities were opening their doors, a rapidly expanding federal enforcement program threatens to slam them shut: 287(g) agreements. The program… Read More
Council and NYCLU File FOIA Request for ICE to Publish 287(g) Training Materials on its Website
Since its first day in office, the Trump administration has sought to recruit local law enforcement agencies to collude in its scheme of immigration enforcement. Under a January 20, 2025 executive order, the White House encouraged local law enforcement agencies to assist with the federal government’s immigration arrests by… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
