State and Local
This Controversial Immigration Enforcement Program Threatens U.S. Communities
In an era of increased immigration enforcement, it is even more important to understand the ways in which some states and localities collaborate with the federal government. Recent research also highlights the benefits that immigrants bring to these communities across the country—contributions that could be jeopardized by aggressive enforcement efforts… Read More
Trumps Calls in the Troops to the Border—But No One Knows What For
President Trump first announced via tweet—and later a signed proclamation—that he plans to send the National Guard to the nation’s southern border. And yet, at the same time, he acknowledged that border apprehensions (which are used to gauge how many people are attempting to cross the border) are at… Read More
Immigration Enforcement Priorities Have Been Abandoned—and That’s Bad News for Everyone
In order to effectively fight crime, law-enforcement officers must gain the trust of the communities they intend to serve. Trust encourages victims of crime, as well as potential witnesses, to come forward and help solve cases and prosecute criminals. However, according to our latest analysis, the Trump administration has abandoned… Read More
The Department of Justice Sues California Over Its ‘Sanctuary’ Policies
A lawsuit challenging several California laws filed Tuesday is the U.S. Justice Department’s latest salvo in the ongoing policy and legal battle regarding “sanctuary” policies. The complaint, which names the State of California, California Governor Jerry Brown, and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as defendants, claims that three… Read More
Assumption of Risk: Legal Liabilities for Local Governments that Choose to Enforce Federal Immigration Laws
This policy document describes the legal liabilities local governments face when they honor ICE requests, known as “detainers,” to hold individuals past the completion of their criminal custody until immigration agents take them into administrative custody. Read More
Lawmakers Are Blaming Undocumented Immigrants for the Opioid Epidemic
The scapegoating of immigrants for crime in the United States was on full display at a February 15 hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. The hearing was devoted to exploring the ways in which “sanctuary” jurisdictions allegedly impede law-enforcement efforts to control the opioid epidemic. That argument is a… Read More
The Federal Government Is Using Immigration Raids as Retaliation Against California
When agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided 77 businesses throughout northern California at the end of January and beginning of February, they were doing more than looking for undocumented immigrants and the employers who hire them. They were also mounting an attack against so-called “sanctuary… Read More
ICE Issues Guidance on Enforcement at Courthouses
After a significant increase in arrests outside of courthouses in 2017, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has finally released new guidance that officially gives its agents permission to conduct civil immigration enforcement at courthouses. While this guidance is new, the practice is not. ICE’s presence and arrests at courthouses… Read More
Mapping the Local Response to Aggressive Immigration Enforcement
States, localities, and communities continue to hold their ground against the aggressive and punitive immigration enforcement agenda touted by President Trump and his administration. Compared to a year ago, more U.S. counties have limited their involvement with federal immigration enforcement. Even though the federal government devotes more funding… Read More
The State Immigration Laws You Should Know About
In the course of the first year under the Trump administration, states and localities have increasingly pursued immigration policies that serve the best interests of their own communities. While there were extreme differences in these state-level approaches to immigration, overall more states enacted policies designed to protect, support, and welcome… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
