An immigrant can be full of worries when they are facing deportation or are in a situation where they fear they could end up in deportation proceedings. An important thing for individuals in such situations to know is that there are protections and rights immigrants have here in the United States. Recently, new laws were passed in California aimed at establishing additional protections for immigrants in the state.
Nearly a dozen immigration-related bills were signed into law in the state last Thursday. They touch on a variety of subjects. One is aimed at halting growth in the use of for-profit immigration detention centers. Others add new protections for immigrants in the workplace, schools and housing.
One of the recently signed bills that has drawn a particular amount of attention and controversy is the “sanctuary state” bill. Among the things this new law will do are:
- Ban California police officers from asking about the immigration status of individuals.
- Limit local law enforcement coordination with federal immigration agents.
- Restrict local law enforcement communication with federal immigration agents regarding individuals in police custody.
As a note, there are a range of exceptions to the restrictions this bill institutes.
One wonders what impacts the sanctuary state bill and the other bills recently signed into law in the state will ultimately have on the situation of and level of protection enjoyed by undocumented immigrants and other immigrants here in California.
Now, there are a variety of things that could lead to an immigrant who is facing deportation or the possibility of deportation being unsure of what particular rights and protections they have. This includes:
- The fact that states vary in what protections their laws provide immigrants.
- Changes being made in what protections are present in a state.
- Uncertainty regarding how state and federal laws will interact when it comes to a given immigration issue.
- Protections having exceptions.
Among things immigrants can do to seek out clarity when they are unsure of their rights is contact a skilled immigration attorney. Such lawyers can provide immigrants with guidance on what rights and protections they have given their particular situation. A clear picture of one’s rights can be a very important thing to have when a person is dealing with stressful and impactful immigration matters, such as the possibility of deportation.
