[NumbersUSA] Congratulations to our NumbersUSA activists in Maryland and Tennessee. They were on the winning side this week in tough fights against nationwide forces seeking to reward illegal immigration through state laws. Our activists in those two states have been getting a lot of special Action Alerts to help them influence their state legislators and governors. Running this part of our NumbersUSA operation -- as in all our NumbersUSA state-centered campaigns -- were Van Esser and Ashley Craig.
Van and Ashley swing into action each time a pro-enforcement state legislator, local official or activist contacts them about an opportunity or threat that needs the support of NumbersUSA activists. Van has a special feel for these state and local actions; before joining NumbersUSA's staff, he worked in the Illinois legislature and here in Washington with state legislators from all over the country. Most of you are in states that likely will be seeing state alerts from Van and Ashley's team over the next year.
DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR BLOCKS MARYLAND FROM BECOMING 'SANCTUARY STATE'
Maryland has been one of the most Democratic and pro-illegal immigration states in the country. It was logical that it would be one of the first to respond to a nationwide effort to have states declare themselves in opposition to Pres. Trump's announced efforts to greatly increase the removal of criminal aliens from the country.
The Maryland House of Delegates approved a bill that would have had the practical effect of releasing many criminal aliens onto the streets instead of being held until federal immigration agents arrived to put them into proceedings to remove them from the country. The bill was widely regarded as one declaring Maryland to be a "sanctuary state."
After a vigorous public outcry against the bill, Democrat Thomas V. Mike Miller (the president of the state Senate) announced this week that he would not bring the bill to a vote, killing it for the year.
Commentators suggested that the expressions of opposition from voters divided the normally solid anti-enforcement state Democratic Party between those who see illegal aliens as a minority group needing protection and those who see illegal immigration as posing threats that need to be curbed.
BEATING BACK THE TENNESSEE REPUBLICAN ESTABLISHMENT ON IN-STATE TUITION
A narrow vote in the Tennessee House killed an in-state tuition bill that had already passed the state Senate. The bill would have given taxpayer-subsidized in-state tuition to illegal border crossers and visa overstays. Our Tennessee colleagues have had to fight this bill three straight years. Each time, the bill was introduced by Republicans. The Republican governor supported this bill.
Tennessee has a government controlled by a Republican Party that often bows to the cheap-worker business interests on immigration issues and on incentives for illegal aliens. Both of Tennessee's Republican U.S. Senators were full-throated supporters of the giant Gang of Eight Amnesty in 2013.
The Republican supporters of illegal immigration can count on nearly all Democrats in the legislature, so our activists had their work cut out for them to win this fight. Congratulations. Numbers USA
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