The United States is a nation of immigrants and it has long been the history of this country to generously take in “the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” However, over the past few years, the immigration laws of the United States have grown increasingly difficult to understand and navigate. They have also become increasingly restrictive and seemingly exclusionary.
And now, immigration once again has the attention of the public due to the two bills passed recently that have effectively made immigration laws stricter than ever before.
One of the two bills that were passed is known as the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act. This Act potentially broadens the pool of money that cities could lose for not cooperating with federal immigration officials.
It also seeks to indemnify local law enforcement officials who detain immigrants on behalf of the federal authorities from lawsuits, making the federal government the defendant in such cases.
The other law, known as Kate’s Law, stiffens penalties for immigrants guilty of felony re-entry. The bill is named after Kathryn Steinle, who was shot to death in San Francisco in 2015, reportedly by a Mexican laborer who had been deported multiple times and was staying in the United States illegally.
We do not see any pros for this piece of legislation when it comes to immigrants. However, the enforcement of these two new bills not only makes it harder to help our clients but also results in people being treated unfairly and discriminated against for no reason.
Though there is no solution to the problem at the moment, we are actively seeking ways to protect our clients from stricter regulations. While trying to understand the vast and intricate immigrations laws that were already quite confusing, the two new laws will definitely add to the existing complexity.
The law offices of Phillips and McCrea, PLLC are experienced and knowledgeable attorneys that understand your immigration needs and are here to help you. If you have questions about the new immigration laws or about immigration in general, please contact us by clicking here. To learn more about our other practice areas, please click here.