Immigration enforcement bills pour into statehouses amid tensions sparked by Minnesota incidents

As Democrats in several states move to curb the powers of federal immigration officers following the fatal shooting of a protester in Minneapolis, Tennessee Republicans on Thursday unveiled a White House–backed package of bills designed to mobilize the full force of state government in support of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Momentum is building in Democratic-led states for measures that would restrict Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), some of which have been proposed for years but gained urgency after Renee Good was killed by an ICE officer. Republicans, meanwhile, are pushing in the opposite direction, blaming protesters for obstructing immigration enforcement and arguing that tougher laws are needed.

Democrats seek to limit ICE authority

In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed allowing individuals to sue federal officers for alleged violations of constitutional rights. Another proposal would bar immigration officers without judicial warrants from entering schools, hospitals and houses of worship.

Oregon Democrats plan to introduce legislation allowing residents to sue federal officers for violations of Fourth Amendment protections against unlawful searches and seizures.

In New Jersey, the Democrat-led Legislature passed three long-sought bills this week, including one prohibiting state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. Gov. Phil Murphy has until Tuesday, his final day in office, to sign or veto the measures.

California lawmakers are advancing proposals that would ban state and local law enforcement officers from holding secondary jobs with the Department of Homeland Security and make it a state-law violation for ICE officers to conduct what the bills describe as “indiscriminate” arrests near court appearances.

“Where you have government actions with no accountability, that is not true democracy,” said Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco.

Democratic efforts extend into red states

Democrats in Georgia introduced four Senate bills aimed at limiting immigration enforcement, though the measures face long odds in the Republican-controlled chamber led by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a close Trump ally. Sponsors said the effort is symbolic but necessary.

“Donald Trump has unleashed brutal aggression on our families and our communities across our country,” said state Sen. Sheikh Rahman, an immigrant from Bangladesh whose suburban Atlanta district includes a large immigrant population.

In New Hampshire, Democrats have proposed multiple bills to restrict federal immigration enforcement, but Republicans recently enacted a law banning so-called “sanctuary cities,” which took effect this month.

Tennessee GOP aligns with Trump

Tennessee Republicans, working closely with the Trump administration, introduced legislation that would require government agencies to verify residents’ legal status before they can receive public benefits, obtain professional licenses or get driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations.

The package also includes a proposal to verify the legal status of K-12 students — a measure that appears to conflict with US Supreme Court precedent — and to criminalize illegal entry as a misdemeanor, mirroring laws in other states that are currently tied up in court.

“We’re going to do what we can to make sure that if you’re here illegally, we will have the data, we’ll have the transparency, and we’re not spending taxpayer dollars on you unless you’re in jail,” Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said.

Legal battles escalate

The Trump administration has aggressively opposed efforts to limit ICE, suing states and local governments with “sanctuary” policies that restrict cooperation with federal officers.

While states generally have broad authority to regulate within their borders, many of the new proposals raise unresolved constitutional questions, said Harrison Stark of the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

“There’s not a super clear, concrete legal answer to a lot of these questions,” Stark said. “It’s almost guaranteed there will be federal litigation over a lot of these policies.”

Legal challenges are already underway. California was sued by the Justice Department after it enacted a law banning most law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from covering their faces on duty. The department argues the law endangers officers amid what it describes as “unprecedented” harassment and threats.

The Justice Department also sued Illinois last month, challenging a law that restricts federal civil arrests near courthouses, protects medical records and regulates how universities and child care centers handle immigration status information.

States push back

Minnesota and Illinois — joined by their largest cities — filed lawsuits this week against the Trump administration. Minnesota and Minneapolis argue the administration violated free speech rights by retaliating against a progressive, immigrant-friendly state. Illinois and Chicago allege that “Operation Midway Blitz” left residents fearful of leaving their homes.

Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin rejected the claims, accusing Minnesota officials of neglecting public safety and calling Illinois’s lawsuit “baseless.”