Much of the nation is focused on the recent law change in Arizona that
now allows Arizonan police officers to request proof of legal status of
anyone suspected of being an illegal alien. However, Arizona is not the
only state that has passed immigration-specific legislation. Because
immigration changes have not happened at the national level, many
states are taking immigration regulation into their own hands. In 2005,
only 38 laws were enacted by state legislatures. In 2009 that rate was
five times as high.
As of late last year, there have been 222 laws enacted by state
legislatures, along with 131 state resolutions, in 2009. While a small
amount of these have been vetoed by governors, the majority are now
active regulations. The majority of the laws that passed last year
focused on issues related to identification or driver’s licenses;
others related to health and education. Most resolutions focused on
celebrating ethnic heritage in the U.S. and immigrants and programs
that support immigrants.
