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.
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