"Families who want to come to America, work in America, raise families in America ought to be welcome because that's the thread that has made this blanket so warm in this country. We need to have a system that allows people a path to citizenship. That's the way we've done it for the last 150 years." - Governor Brian Schweitzer, 2008.

While Republican lawmakers Gary Perry, Jim Shockley, and David Howard attempted to pass over 10 anti-immigrant bills this legislative session, all of them were ultimately rejected by the Montana legislature. While many of these bills were defeated by only a narrow margin, I am proud of our legislature as a whole for killing these prejudiced and reactionary bills. (Click this article to read more.)

On Wednesday, we celebrated the death of SB 379. Given that the Senate voted to indefinitely table the bill, it seemed like a done deal. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle headlined that "Immigration bills [were] having a tough time in session." Incredibly, it looks like Senate Republicans have been successful in resurrecting the bill. It appears that yesterday, Senate Republicans took advantage of the absence of three Democrats (Sens. Squires, Jent and Windy Boy) to move that SB 379 be sent back to the Judiciary Committee for amendments. Click to read more.

The Montana Senate is to be commended for indefinitely tabling Senate Bill 379, which was sponsored by Senator Gary Perry. While previous votes in the Senate on immigration bills were split on party lines, with Republicans voting almost unanimously in support of the anti-immigrant bills, this bill was voted down on a bi-partisan vote of 29-20. Click to read more.

Last week was an exceptionally busy one for those of us who have been fighting the suite of anti-immigrant bills that have been proposed this session. Committee hearings were held every day of the week, and there were ten hearings in all. I am glad that I was able to testify on each of these bills, and I cannot thank Kim Abbott, Jamee Greer, Debbie Smith, and the ACLU enough for their help. Click to read more...

On Thursday, February 12, 2009, Senator Gary L. Perry's SB 378 will go to Committee. This bill would prevent insurers from paying worker’s compensation claims to “unauthorized aliens.” Current law requires that claims be paid to “aliens and minors, whether lawfully or unlawfully employed." MCA § 39-71-118(a). While SB 378 does not amend the definition of an employee under the law, it would have the same effect. The bill imposes obstacles that would make it impossible for unauthorized aliens to pursue a claim for worker’s compensation.

After all the anti-immigrant bills being proposed by Montana legislators this year, Christine Kaufmann's SD413 is a welcome change. Senator Kaufmann is to be applauded for sponsoring a bill that would send a clear message that Montana welcomes immigrants to its borders, and will not be consumed by the "nativist" hatred sweeping many parts of the country.

On this blog, we have been discussing anti-immigrant bills proposed by Montana legislators. One of the most shocking bill draft requests is LC0559, which would target immigrant youth who are in shelter care facilities. The bill's stated purpose is to verify the alien status of prisoners, but in actuality it does much more than that. The law would require youth probation officers to inform the Department of Homeland Security of any children who don't have documents to prove lawful status. Upon request, the officers would turn the youth over to the federal authorities to initiate removal proceedings.

As discussed in previous posts, Montana legislators have proposed a number of anti-immigrant bills that would require the state to step into the shoes of the federal government and enforce immigration laws. One of the most pointless bill draft requests is LC0514, which is being sponsored by Gary MacLaren. This bill would make it a felony for a non-citizen to register to vote in a state election.

When you think of states embroiled in deep controversies relating to their large immigrant populations, Montana isn’t the first one to come to mind. Perhaps this is because Montana has one of the smallest percentages of foreign-born residents in the entire United States. This hasn’t stopped Montana legislators from proposing twenty-six different bills this legislative session that are intended to regulate immigration – a field traditionally occupied, and in many cases preempted, by federal law. At least four of the proposed bills have text available for review. Gary L. Perry of Manhattan, Montana has sponsored three of these bills (LC0557, LC0558, and LC0560), and David Howard has sponsored one of them (LC1909). Each of these bills threaten to create serious and lasting divisions that would segregate and disenfranchise members of our immigrant communities. Over the next few days, I will be discussing each of these proposed bills.