As the leaves change and temperatures drop, communities across the country are continuing to feel the impact of the major shifts in federal policies, including the ongoing government shutdown and increased enforcement in major U.S. cities. More than three-quarters of state legislatures have already adjourned for the year, and many are gearing up for 2026—including new legislative sessions and midterm elections—where immigration will remain a top issue.
The State & Local Initiatives team at the American Immigration Council is closely monitoring new policy developments that impact our partners, and we are preparing for 2026 by equipping those partners with data—including Map the Impact data that was updated this summer—and advocacy tools to advance welcoming policies. At the same time, we continue to work alongside other Council departments to drive federal advocacy, uplift the voices of impacted communities, and ensure our partners have access to timely, fact-based analysis and information about the policies affecting their work and communities. You can learn more in the Council’s 2025 Mid-Year Report.
We also hosted a webinar on October 30 that explored the expansion of federal immigration enforcement under the new administration and solutions available to state and local policymakers to shape fair, effective, and community-focused policies that safeguard residents and reflect their community values and priorities. The recording can be found linked here.
Thank you for the invaluable work you do in your community. We appreciate your continued support and partnership.
– Rich André, Director of State & Local Initiatives |
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So far this year, we have tracked over 950 immigration-related bills across the country, seeing a mixture of states introducing and passing inclusive policies like expanding protections for students, occupational licensure, and immigrant civil rights protections. On the other hand, we’ve seen states take harmful actions, such as Texas repealing access to in-state tuition, restricting access to driver’s licenses for non-citizens in Wyoming, and increasing state enforcement in Texas or cooperation with federal immigration authorities in North Carolina. We’ve also been watching the activities of state attorneys general who are on track to sue the federal government more times during the second Trump administration than they did during the first administration.
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Texans defeated nine separate bills attempting to repeal the Texas Dream Act, a 2001 policy that allows Texas students, regardless of immigration status, to pay in-state tuition rates at public universities. Despite the successful defense of the Texas Dream Act in the state legislature, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit to invalidate the Act a few days later, with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton quickly joining the effort. The Council’s Texans for Economic Growth business coalition signed onto an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs in the ongoing Texas Dream Act litigation. Other states, like Florida and Oklahoma, have repealed similar policies and the threat persists in other states the DOJ has sued, including Minnesota, Kentucky, and Illinois. The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration created this fact sheet and is closely monitoring changes.
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State policies related to immigrants were front and center for the DOJ when it published a list of “sanctuary” jurisdictions on August 5. Listing cities, counties, and states, the DOJ contends—without evidence—that these localities impede federal immigration enforcement through alleged “sanctuary jurisdiction characteristics.”
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States Investment in Immigrant Inclusion |
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In 2025, the Office of New Americans (ONA) State Network grew to 23 bipartisan states with the addition of Delaware and Vermont. The Network now accounts for over 30 million immigrants—over 60% of the total U.S. immigrant population. This summer, ONAs visited New York and New Jersey to discuss how to best support their states’ immigrant communities and learn best practices on improving access to legal and language services. And last month, over 40 ONA staff from 19 states came together for our annual convening in Washington DC.
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Spotlighting our ONA partners’ summer activities, North Dakota hosted their second-annual Global Talent Summit to discuss attracting and retaining immigrant workers to meet the state’s labor needs. And in June, partners in Wisconsin hosted the Immigrant and Refugee Support Summit, which brought together community leaders to best support immigrants and refugees’ pursuit of their education and career goals.
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Business Leadership on Immigration |
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In partnership with the Grand Rapids Chamber and Global Detroit, the Council hosted the ninth-annual Global Talent Chamber Network convening in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on September 25 and 26. The two-day event brought together 15 chambers of commerce from 11 states. The convening kicked off with a site visit to BAMF Health to learn about how international talent contributes to their ground-breaking medical research and treatment of cancer and Alzheimer's. Day two featured sessions exploring the changing federal landscape, how Michigan leaders are navigating the current environment with innovative practices to meet workforce demands, and maximizing the business community’s influence through strategic advocacy approaches. Check out this op-ed recapping the event and why it was important for the business community!
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WorkPermits.US, World Education Services (WES), the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and the Council hosted a webinar
on August 12 to empower employers by explaining employer obligations for employment (re)verification, addressing potential discrimination issues in the reverification process, discussing I-9 audits and immigration enforcement trends under the Trump administration, and looking at expected changes to work authorization in the near future.
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The Trump administration has taken over 500 immigration policy actions to date, as tracked by the Immigration Policy Tracking Project. The Council continues to track these policies alongside other actions, such as the largest raid ever conducted at one worksite at a Hyundai plant in Georgia on September 4 and Congress’ passage of unprecedented spending for mass deportation.
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Tens of thousands of DACA recipients in Texas may soon be stripped of their ability to work in the U.S. lawfully. In January 2025, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held that portions of a 2022 DACA regulation – those that grant employment authorization and “lawful presence” – are unlawful. The Court preserved the part of DACA that provides protection from removal, however, treating it as lawful and severable from the other provisions. The Court limited the geographic scope of a prior nationwide injunction to the state of Texas, meaning that the decision would apply only within Texas. The case has now returned to U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen to determine how DACA should work under the new modified ruling.
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The Council’s report Mass Deportation: Analyzing the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Immigrants, Democracy, and America, explores the administration’s immigration policy agenda to date, including who is allowed into the U.S. and who is excluded, the ongoing treatment and forced removal of immigrants who already call the U.S. home, and proposes alternative policy recommendations to create a safer, more inclusive country.
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Efforts to protect immigrant communities continued this fall as students returned to the classroom, despite fears spurred by increased immigration enforcement. Across the country, lawmakers, local communities, and schools have united to ensure that schools can remain safe spaces where everyone can learn.
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In September, communities across the U.S. celebrated the vibrant contributions of immigrants during Welcoming America's 2025 Welcoming Week, “The Stories We Share.” The City of Lincoln, NE, became one of only two cities to receive a four-star welcoming certification, the City of Charlotte, NC, kicked off their celebrations with a naturalization ceremony, and the City of Austin, TX, celebrated their first-ever Welcoming Week with a variety of events, including storytelling circles, cultural showcases, and community panels.
- At the same time, U.S. cities are bracing for the possible deployment of the National Guard to their communities, as seen in Chicago, LA and Washington D.C., and the impact they will have on local communities, small businesses, and community wellbeing.
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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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