(This article originally appeared in the Stateside Dispatch [1], Progressive States Network's email roundup of the latest state policy news. Sign up to receive the Dispatch in your inbox here. [2])
The same week that both President Obama and a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators released proposals for comprehensive federal immigration reform, pro-immigrant policies continued to gain traction in the states on issues including tuition equity and driver's licenses for DREAMers. Nearly three years after Arizona passed SB 1070, anti-immigrant forces are clearly finding themselves increasingly isolated at both the state and federal level in 2013:
Mirroring the bipartisan support for reform in the U.S. Senate, four Republican state lawmakers in California announced their support [3] for comprehensive immigration reform. [Los Angeles Times]
Why increased border security — a key demand in the announced Senate framework — is already "90 to 95 percent solved." [4] [Wonkblog]
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the author of Arizona's SB 1070 and advisor to Mitt Romney, is now "marginalized on a national basis" [5] on immigration. [Kansas City Star]
Colorado's ASSET in-state tuition bill gained more bipartisan support [6], setting off "shock waves" in the state. [Denver Post]
A tuition equity bill in Virginia cleared a House subcommittee by a 6-0 bipartisan [7] vote. [Manassas Park Patch]
In-state tuition is also back on the front burner [8] in Oregon, where Gov. John Kitzhaber recently announced he would sign a bill into law if passed. [Statesman Journal]
Illinois became the fourth and biggest [9] state to allow all immigrants access to driver's licenses. [Colorlines]
Michigan's Secretary of State reversed a policy [10] that prevented DREAMers from receiving driver's licenses following a challenge by a coalition of civil rights organizations. [ACLU]
Meanwhile, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez signaled she would again push for repeal [11] of her state's driver's license law. [Stateline]