California expands privacy protections for street vendors

Immigrants selling food flowers and other merchandise along the sidewalks of California will have new privacy protections intended to keep their identities secret from federal immigration agents The measure signed into law last week by Democratic Gov Gavin Newsom comes on the heels of other in the last few days enacted state laws meant to shield students in schools and patients at physical condition care facilities from the reach of President Donald Trump s immigration enforcement actions Democratic-led states are adding laws resisting Trump even as he intensifies his deportation campaign by seeking to deploy National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities to reinforce U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who are arresting people suspected of being in the U S illegally By contrast selected Republican-led states are requiring local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE agents The actions of the states really reflect the polarization of the country on this issue noted Jessica Vaughan director of approach studies at the Center for Immigration Studies which supports immigration restrictions We have seen particular states move to cooperate to the greatest extent that they possibly can with Trump s administration and others doing what they can to try to thwart immigration enforcement in their state Across the U S state lawmakers this year have passed more than bills relating to immigration according to an Associated Press analysis aided by the bill tracking platform Plural The measures are divided almost evenly between those providing and denying protections to immigrants California is shielding immigrant information Immigrants comprise a essential portion of California s urban sidewalk vendors Specific have been swept up in immigration enforcement actions in part because their outdoor work in community places makes them easier targets than people behind closed doors California s street vendors typically need permits from cities or counties The new law prohibits local governments from inquiring about vendors immigration status requiring fingerprinting or disclosing personal information name address birth date social media identifiers and telephone driver s license and Social Measure numbers among other things without a judicial subpoena The law which will take effect Jan was prompted by concerns that vendor databases kept by local governments could be accessed by federal immigration agents to target people for detention and deportation We re talking about really shield safety for businesses precaution for human beings safeguard for people who have gone through so much noted Sergio Jimenez a street vending organizer with the nonprofit Locality Power Collective in Los Angeles Additional laws in recent weeks signed by Newsom add immigration status to a list of protected therapeutic information and prohibit schools from granting access to immigration enforcement personnel without a court warrant Another new California law directs schools and higher instruction institutions to directly notify staff and students or parents when immigration authorities are on campus Democratic states create safe places for immigrants Upon taking office Trump reversed a agenda restricting federal immigration agents from arresting people at sensitive locations such as schools churches and hospitals Like California other Democratic-led states responded with laws attempting to create safe places for immigrants A Maryland law enacted earlier this year requires inhabitants schools libraries and wellbeing care facilities to restrict access for immigration enforcement agents unless presented with a court warrant Nevada s Republican governor vetoed a similar measure for schools that had been passed by the Democratic-led Legislature Meanwhile a new Colorado law allows civil penalties of up to for constituents child care centers schools colleges wellness care facilities and libraries that collect information about people s immigration status with chosen exceptions New laws in Rhode Island prohibit vitality care providers and landlords from inquiring about people s immigration status Oregon also enacted a similar law for landlords States split on aiding federal immigration agents By contrast Republican-led states have passed numerous laws intended to bolster Trump s immigration policies New laws in Texas Florida and Arkansas require sheriffs who run jails to enter into federal agreements for their officers to be trained to help ICE State and local participation in the federal g immigration enforcement initiative named after the section of law that created it has exploded from agreements in states before Trump took office in January to more than agreements presently in place in states But specific Democratic-led states have refused to take part A new Delaware law prohibits participation in the undertaking similar to statutes already in place in California and Illinois Democratic-led Vermont also tightened its restrictions on participating in federal immigration enforcement programs repealing an exemption that had allowed it during emergencies A Connecticut law that took effect in October allows people to sue local governments that cooperate with federal immigration officers in violation of the state s Trust Act Residents benefits are a point of contention In Washington new state laws allow workers to take paid leave to attend immigration proceedings for themselves or family members and prohibit employers from using immigration status to coerce their employees But certain Republican-led states have enacted laws limiting benefits for people in the country illegally A new Idaho law prohibits immigrants without legal status from receiving particular publicly funded physical condition benefits including vaccinations problem counseling and prenatal and postnatal care for women A new Louisiana law requires applicants for masses benefits to be screened for legal immigration status and if lacking it published to federal immigration personnel Several Republican-led states including Florida Louisiana New Hampshire Tennessee and Wyoming have adopted laws invalidating certain driver s licenses issued to immigrants in the U S illegally College tuition discounts are diminishing Entering into this year nearly half the states provided in-state tuition to inhabitants colleges and universities for residents living in the U S illegally But that number has dwindled since Trump took office and the U S Department of Justice began suing states The federal lawsuits assert states are violating the Constitution by providing in-state tuition for people without legal status while not offering the same benefit to out-of-state U S citizens Florida repealed its decade-old law allowing in-state tuition for students lacking legal status effective July Republican-led Texas and Oklahoma both ended similar tuition policies after getting sued by the Justice Department Kentucky which has a Democratic governor also has taken measures to halt its strategy after getting sued California lawmakers attempted to enhance tuition benefits for immigrants with a first-of-its kind measure allowing population college students who get deported or voluntarily leave the U S to continue receiving in-state tuition while taking online courses from afar But Newsom vetoed the measure earlier this month citing major constitutional concerns that the tuition break was offered only to students who left the country and not also to residents of other U S states A bill passed by New Mexico s Democratic-led Legislature this year would have expanded in-state tuition breaks to immigrants who earned income in New Mexico during the previous two years or who attended at least two semesters of adult teaching courses But Democratic Gov Michelle Lujan Grisham let the bill die without her signature