Dear John,
As immigration policy continues to be front and center during this year's presidential campaign, this newsletter will keep you informed of trends we are seeing at the state and local level and how our team is helping advance immigrant inclusion work across the country.
Our team has been busy tracking state legislation introduced this year, supporting chambers of commerce with their D.C. fly-ins, and traveling to communities across the country that are advancing welcoming and integration work. In April, our team attended Welcoming America’s annual Welcoming Interactive in Dallas, where we partnered with the City of Dallas - Welcoming Community and Immigrant Affairs Division (WCIA) to launch a new report, Economic Impact Report: New Americans in Dallas.
We've also been sharing the Council's Map the Impact tool – an interactive map with comprehensive national, state, and local immigration data – which was recently updated with 2022 state-level data! |
We also launched a State and Local X account (formerly Twitter) to share news and updates and to uplift the incredible state and local-level work communities across the country are doing to welcome newcomers. Follow us!
We were thrilled to see the Biden administration announce two major policies that would help provide streamlined paths to legal status for certain long-time undocumented immigrants. You can read this factsheet and blog to learn more about the policy changes and the impact they could have on over 500,000 estimated individuals and their families.
We appreciate your ongoing support and engagement and look forward to continuing to partner on work across the nation during this crucial year! – Rich André, Director of State & Local Initiatives |
Since the 2024 state legislative session kicked off in January, state legislatures have continued to prioritize policies impacting immigrant communities. Our team has tracked over 700 immigrant-related bills so far this year, and we have provided testimony, data, and analysis for more than 17 policies that welcome newcomers. These include bills creating a statewide Office of New Americans, like Hawaii’s Senate Bill 2787 and Vermont’s Senate Bill 194, advancing workforce opportunities like Virginia’s House Bill 995, and promoting language access like Colorado’s House Bill 1368.
We’ve also helped push back against harmful policies, including several bills that aim to replicate provisions in Senate Bill 4, Texas’ 2023 anti-immigrant bill. We partnered with the Refugee Advocacy Lab, the International Refugee Assistance Project, and the International Rescue Committee to help mobilize against anti-refugee and anti-asylum state legislation (you can request a copy of the toolkit here). In a victory for immigrant communities in Iowa and across the country, a federal district court blocked Iowa’s SF 2340 on June 17, one of the most far-reaching immigration laws ever passed in the state, after the Council filed suit.
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State Investment in Immigrant Inclusion |
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In March, our team led representatives from 10 State Offices of New Americans on a site visit to San Diego and the U.S.-Mexico border. The goal was to better understand federal, state, and NGO efforts to process and welcome new arrivals. Over two days, we met with Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection officials, as well as staff from Jewish Family Service of San Diego and Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego. |
In February, Micaela McConnell, our Senior Policy Associate, traveled to St. George, Utah, to present data from the Council’s new report, New Americans in Southern Utah, at the New Americans in Southern Utah Symposium hosted by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, Utah Center for Immigration and Integration, the Center for Economic Opportunity and Belonging, and Utah Tech University’s Office of International Programs.
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Business Leadership on Immigration |
In collaboration with the Council’s Texas business coalition, Texans for Economic Growth, and the Texas Association of Business, the State & Local team partnered with Texas and Houston-based organizations on the release of a new report, New Americans in Houston at “Houston: Poised to Lead,” a regional event attended by over 150 business and community leaders.
As the business community continues to advocate for sensible federal immigration reform, the Council has been supporting chambers of commerce with their D.C. fly-ins. This includes the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Odessa Chamber of Commerce, Midland Chamber of Commerce, and Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, all of whom shared their immigrant and immigration-related policy priorities and how federal immigration policies impact their local workforces.
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Celebrating Welcoming Communities |
On April 4, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a temporary rule that increases the automatic extension period for employment authorization and EADs of certain EAD renewal applicants, including those based on a pending asylum application, from up to 180 days to up to 540 days. To learn more, you can read our Policy team’s blog analyzing the decision and the Council’s statement on the rule.
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This factsheet and blog summarize the Biden administration’s recent announcements regarding parole-in-place for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens and work visas for DACA recipients.
- Map the Impact now includes new 2022 data at the state level.
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Four new briefs highlight the contributions immigrants make in high-demand occupations that require a professional or occupational license in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New York.
- Ohio, We Have a Problem sheds light on civil rights violations in Ohio.
Our analysis of Department of Labor data, The Expanding Role of H-2A Workers in U.S. Agriculture, reveals significant demand across the country for H-2A workers, foreign nationals for temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs.
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State and Local Initiatives in the News |
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The State & Local Initiatives team supports policymakers, business leaders, and civic organizations across more than 100 local communities and nearly 40 states by equipping them with economic research, technical assistance, peer-to-peer learning, and advocacy opportunities. Our partners use Council resources to champion evidenced-based policies and programs that welcome immigrants and drive economic growth for all residents. Make a donation today.
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