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How Does Your State Measure Up on Immigration?
Compiled by the DiversityInc staff
December 13, 2007
Vermont
ID/Driver's Licenses/Other Licenses
(05/30/2007) Deals with laws concerning driver licenses issued to U.S. citizens and documented immigrants.
Resolutions
(4/13/07) Urges Congress to enact the "Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2007;" highlights the economic value of immigrant workers to the state.
Public Benefits
(5/17/07) Establishes different social programs and sets limits on other programs that would help immigrants who would be federally ineligible for certain benefits because of their citizenship status apply for state funds.
Virginia
Education
(3/13/07) Any student with an immigration visa or considered a political refugee shall is eligible for in-state tuition, but any person with a student or other temporary visa is not supposed to remain in Virginia indefinitely and therefore is ineligible for in-state tuition.
(3/27/07) Defines residency requirements for in-state tuition, but does not mention immigrant populations.
(3/12/2007) Allows release of personal student records to the U.S. government if the student is a U.S. veteran, adopted, dependant of a veteran or immigrant of any kind.
Employment
(3/27/07) Considers the term "aliens and minors" within the definition as an employee under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act.
Health
(3/24/2007) Migrant health centers are eligible to apply for state Pregnant Women Support grants that provide funds to women facing unplanned pregnancies, and can be used for upgrading ultrasound equipment; creating independent programs for domestic violence; dating violence, sexual assault and stalking; providing support services for women in institutions of higher learning; allocating funding for early childhood education programs for teens to complete high school or receive job training; and providing teen or first time mothers with free home visits from registered nurses.
Human Trafficking
(03/19/2007) Misuse of immigration documents, false identities and other identity-documentation-related offenses are a felony under state law.
(03/19/2007) Establishes legislative commission to develop and execute state plan for preventing human trafficking.
(03/19/2007) Defines human trafficking as a felony and outlines penalties. Also provides for civil liability, business-entity liability, restitution to victims, and forfeiture of trafficker assets for law violators.
ID/Driver's Licenses/Other Licenses
(03/12/2007) Stipulates electronic application and technology requirements related to proof of U.S. citizenship or an undocumented immigrants registration card.
(03/19/2007) Outlines valid documentary evidence of citizenship for driver's license applicants
(03/19/2007) Firearms dealers are prohibited from selling licenses to undocumented immigrants.
Miscellaneous
(04/11/07) Creates state commission in the executive branch of state government to conduct cost-benefit analysis on immigration in the state, including the effects on education, healthcare, law enforcement, local service and economic demands, and how this, in turn, effects federal immigration and funding policies.
Washington
Education
(5/15/07) Includes budget allocation for groups contracted by the state immigration and refugee-assistance-services department to work with immigrants.
Employment
(5/8/2007) Revises background check requirements for the departments of Social and Health Services and Early Learning. Governor vetoed section that would have created a task force to examine the need for and feasibility of verifying citizenship or immigration status of persons for whom background checks are required.
Public Benefits
(5/15/07) Provides a $14 million subsidy for facilities that house low-income migrant, seasonal, or temporary farm workers.
Resolutions
(4/12/07) Revises work-force training program to include more adult basic education and English-language courses along with skill training for immigrants.
West Virginia
Employment
(4/3/07) Employers are prohibited from hiring undocumented workers and are required to verify a prospective employee's legal status or work authorization. Those who fail to comply with the law incur penalties ranging from fines and jail sentences to revocation of business licenses.
Public Benefits
(4/3/07) Creates specific categories of immigrants for which exceptions are made in eligible for state public-benefits program.
Wyoming
ID/Driver's Licenses/Other Licenses
(03/08/2007) The use of false identity, citizenship or resident immigrant documents incurs a penalty and the documents are seized.
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