Two Republican governors are joining Democrats to advocate for state-issued work permits for migrants, undermining President Donald J. Trump’s federal immigration policy.
Governors Spencer Cox (R-UT) and Kevin Stitt (R-OK) have partnered with Governors Wes Moore (D-MD) and Matt Meyer (D-DE) to propose a plan allowing states to issue work permits to migrants without following federal deportation procedures. The proposal was introduced via the National Governors Association’s Task Force on Immigration Policy.
“We set up this task force because I realized by talking to my colleagues that they’re having the same issues,” said Stitt. “Let’s actually have the governors issue workforce permits.” Cox added, “We were really stunned that everybody had kind of the same opinions on what needed to be done.”
The governors’ proposal aims to address labor shortages in agriculture and construction within their states. Cox also noted: “We were together in February and having a conversation about immigration, and we were all shocked at the level of bipartisanship, cooperation, and agreement.”
This initiative follows recent actions by Republican governors to challenge federal immigration policies. Last month, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) voiced opposition to President Trump’s plan to deport Haitian migrants by stripping them of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a status that allows certain migrants to live and work legally in the United States. Additionally, the Republican-controlled South Carolina Senate recently voted against a congressional map designed to eliminate a racially gerrymandered district with a high concentration of Black voters.
