2015 Immigration Report

Lawmakers in 46 states and Puerto Rico enacted more laws and resolutions related to immigration from January to June 2015 compared to the same period last year: 153 laws and 238 resolutions (a 16 percent increase). These are summarized in the 2015 Report on State Immigration Laws from the National Conference of State Legislatures. Most new laws (35 laws in 24 states, or 23 percent overall) were for budgeting purposes such as authorizing funds for immigration enforcement, health services, and migrant and refugee programs. Education was the second-highest category covered by the new laws; 23 laws in 14 states (or 15 percent of new laws). Many laws addressed immigration and residency requirements for access to higher education; seven states included portions of the federal naturalization exam in high school civics requirements. Attitudes towards the undocumented differed between states; for example, a new Rhode Island law ensured all homeless people have the right to homeless shelter services regardless of immigration status, while a measure passed in Maine clarified that only non-citizens lawfully present in the U.S. will be eligible for general assistance. Other areas of legislative focus included driver’s licenses, human trafficking and voting. Delaware and Hawaii enacted legislation to give unauthorized immigrants driving privileges, while California established a statewide director of immigrant integration. (Crystal Ye for The ILC Public Education Institute).

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