logo
ENع
Louisiana lawmakers vote to toughen immigration enforcement

Louisiana lawmakers vote to toughen immigration enforcement

Yahoo11-06-2025

BATON ROUGE, La. (LSU Manship School News Service) — Lawmakers passed two bills this week aimed at expanding the state's role in immigration enforcement, joining states like Texas and Florida in helping the Trump administration crack down on undocumented immigrants.
One bill would require agencies to track the legal status of people using public services, and the other would criminalize interference with federal immigration operations.
The Legislature last year empowered local and state law-enforcement to arrest people on suspicion that they were undocumented immigrants. Gov. Jeff Landry signed that bill into law, and the two bills passed this week will now go to him for his signature.
The latest legislation comes amid growing national tensions over immigration policy. Protests broke out in Los Angeles this week in response to enforcement actions, and Trump hinted at invoking the Insurrection Act, a set of laws that might let the president deploy the military domestically.
One of the new bills, Senate Bill 100, by Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, would mandate that state departments–including Health, Education, Motor Vehicles and others–disclose whether individuals receiving services are 'illegal aliens' or 'unaccompanied alien children.'
Services covered under the bill range from healthcare and education to tax benefits and emergency assistance.
Agencies would have to report how many people in those categories they serve and the cost of those services.
The reports would be submitted annually to the governor, the attorney general and the Legislature and published online.
The bill also would require agencies to verify legal status, either through immigration documents or by using federal tools like the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system. Agencies that do not comply risk funding loss.
Senate Bill 15 by Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, would prohibit private individuals and public officials from obstructing federal immigration enforcement or civil immigration proceedings.
That would include refusing to cooperate with requests from agencies like the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, or failing to honor written detainer requests when releasing someone suspected of being in the country illegally.
The bill updates the state's obstruction and malfeasance laws to cover immigration-related violations. Penalties range from six months in jail and a $1,000 fine to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
More serious violations involving public officials could lead to felony charges and prison sentences of up to 10 years. The law would take effect Aug. 1.
If SB15 is enacted, Louisiana would be the first state to institute state criminal penalties for interfering with immigration enforcement efforts. Under current law, these issues are handled as a civil matter.
Both measures reflect Gov. Jeff Landry's broader agenda to position Louisiana as a more active player in immigration enforcement, which echoes moves in the other Republican-led states.
Advocates against the legislation highlighted the negative impact the bills would have on immigrant families in the state.
Tia Fields, policy manager at the Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants, told the Louisiana Illuminator that the bills convey a 'chilling message' and portray immigrant families as expendable.
Proposal to ban DEI college courses, state policy dies in Louisiana Legislature
McKinley High School moves to temporary location as campus undergoes renovation
Students urged to seek aid now as FAFSA deadline nears
Kevin Durant's former townhome up for sale, listing price $35
Bonnaroo co-founder dies days before 2025 festival
Man gored by bison at Yellowstone National Park, second incident this year
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Hashtags

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What to know about the US B-2 bombers heading to Guam

timean hour ago

What to know about the US B-2 bombers heading to Guam

Multiple B-2 stealth bombers were headed to Guam Saturday, two sources familiar with their movements told ABC News. At this point, the bombers have no orders beyond that, according to the sources. The moves come as tensions between Iran and the West have escalated over its nuclear program and the Trump administration weighs its options. Trump has had numerous meetings with national security advisors this week and said in a statement that he would decide within " in two weeks." The president is slated to have another Situation Room meeting later Saturday evening. The bombers could stay at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam for some time, but the question is for how long. Moving these aircraft does not mean that a final decision has been made. In addition to the bombers, eight refueling tankers took off just before midnight on Friday in Oklahoma, flew over Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico before turning around and landing at the same base they took off, ABC News learned. Over the past week, speculation has grown as to whether the Trump administration would use the 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator to target Iran's deep underground uranium enrichment facility in Fordrow. The B-2 is the only U.S. Air Force bomber capable of carrying the MOP on bombing missions, with each bomber can carry two bombs. Attention turned to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, which is the home to all 19 of the B-2 bomber fleet, and whether they might be launched for a nonstop flight to Iran that would require multiple mid-air refuelings. Attention was also focused on the small British island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean that would afford B-2 bombers a much shorter flight time to Iran. In April, six B-2 bombers were deployed to the island as part of the sustained air campaign that the Trump administration had launched against Houthi militants in Yemen because of their continued attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea region. The bombers carried out airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, but their deployment was also a strategic message to Iran at a time of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store