States Introduce More Immigration Bills in 2011, Enact Fewer

December 13, 2011

State legislatures introduced more bills dealing with immigration this year than last….but fewer measures were enacted.  From Phoenix, Mark Brodie reports.

 The new report from the National Conference of State Legislatures shows lawmakers introduced more than 1600 bills and resolutions related to immigrants this year, with 306 becoming law.  Last year, legislatures took up fewer such bills, but more were enacted.  Ann Morse, Program Director for the Immigration Policy Project at NCSL, says that may be an anomaly.  She says the number of immigration bills introduced is holding steady.

ANN MORSE: "The level has been pretty much at this level since 2007, so the issue’s not going away for state legislatures, and what I hear them saying is that a lot of the motivation is because they’re frustrated the federal government isn’t doing their job."

Of the 306 bills approved this year, 39 dealt with law enforcement, including working with the feds. That was the most in any category. That was followed by those related to employment, including employer sanctions, and using e-verify.

 

Read the NCSL Report