State Immigration Action After Arizona’s SB 1070

There have been many news reports about how somes are copy-catting Arizona’s SB 1070.   Not all states are doing that.  For example, three states — Washington, New Mexico and Utah — continue to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses because their laws do not require proof of citizenship or legal residency. An Associated Press analysis found that those states have seen a surge in immigrants seeking IDs in recent months, a trend experts attribute to crackdowns on illegal immigration in Arizona and elsewhere.

Utah lawmakers are attempting to craft an alternative to Arizona ZB 1070 and are seeking to come up with sensible policies to integrate immigrants into the community.

Immigration should not be left to the states, however.  Congress needs to act on immigration reform.  Now is better than later but the time will come.

KJ