Allison Brownell Tirres: It doesn’t make sense to bar authorized immigrants from certain jobs

Allison Brownell Tirres in an op/ed in the Washington Post (It doesn’t make sense to bar authorized immigrants from certain jobs) argues that states should remove restrictions on lawful immigrants from employment in police officer, school teacher, probation officer, and other jobs.  She argues that “[m]any of these laws have their roots in the early 20th century, when state legislatures and nativist organizations pushed for restrictive laws to prevent immigrants from accessing various trades, professions and economic activities. By the 1930s, citizenship-based employment restrictions could be found in every state in the union.”  Professor Tirres thinks that it is time that such restrictions go.  

There is a movement afoot that would eliminate the citizenship requirements for certain state and local jobs.  For example, as CBS News reports, “[a] bill that would allow non-U.S. citizens to become police officers in Illinois is now on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.”

KJ