States Far from US Southern Border Rush to Pass Immigration Laws
States far from the southern border rush to pass laws. Some states in the US, which are far from the southern border, are pushing for anti-migration laws that emulate Republican initiatives such as those in Texas, Arizona, and Florida; many of these initiatives have been stalled in courts. The proposals call for jail sentences, fines, and other sanctions to deter migrants.
Republican-governed states are taking steps to give more power to local police to regulate immigration and to impose criminal penalties on people living in the United States without authorization, while the issue of migrants crossing the country’s southern border remains a central issue for the 2024 elections.
You could also read: “USCIS Announces Opening of Application Period for Citizenship and Integration Grants Program“.
The Oklahoma Congress passed a bill that creates the new offense of ‘unauthorized occupation’ and sent it to the governor for enactment. The new offense carries penalties of up to two years in prison for being in the state irregularly.
What does the Oklahoma bill do?
The Oklahoma law would make it illegal to remain in the state without legal authorization, and a first offense would be considered a misdemeanor and could be punishable by up to one year in jail. Offenders would be required to leave the state within 72 hours of their release. A second offense and subsequent ones would be a felony punishable by up to two years in prison.
What happens now?
Like the new Texas law, many of the bills are likely to be challenged in courts because immigration is a federal, not state, issue in the United States Constitution, said Kelli Stump, an immigration lawyer in Oklahoma City and president-elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
“All of this is a mess and the system is not working, but the Constitution states that states should deal with state matters and the federal government handles federal matters,” Stump said. “Ultimately, this will end up in the Supreme Court, if I had to bet.”
If you want to learn more about these topics, visit Paralegal Clases’ social media and join our live sessions every Wednesday.
Instagram: @Paralegalclases
Facebook: Instituto Paralegal de las Américas
Youtube: Instituto Paralegal
Tiktok: @Paralegalnews
