Two Governors, One Vision

At a recent meeting of the National Governors Association in Washington, D.C., a rare sense of unity emerged between two influential governors: Jared Polis of Colorado and Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma. Despite their differing political affiliations, the Democratic and Republican leaders alike recognized the necessity for states to play a more significant role in immigration enforcement and the issuance of work permits during a time when President Donald Trump’s immigration goals remain a hot topic.

Polis’s Call for State Involvement

Governor Jared Polis, who is also the chairman of the National Governors Association, emphasized the importance of states being included in discussions regarding immigration. “We want to make sure we’re at the table in that with regard to immigration,” he stated in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Polis noted that there is considerable bipartisan support among governors for allowing states to address their own labor needs through the provision of state-issued work permits after conducting necessary vetting procedures. He asserted, “Let us be able to grant those based on free background checks… and that’ll help our economic growth.”

Challenges Facing Colorado

Colorado has faced challenges related to migrant criminality, notably from the criminal gang Tren de Aragua. Despite this, Polis highlighted the potential for varying degrees of cooperation between state and federal authorities. “Our relationship with federal law enforcement agencies is strong,” he claimed, despite the existence of several sanctuary-style laws in Colorado that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Stitt Supports State-Led Initiatives

Governor Kevin Stitt echoed Polis’s sentiments and insisted that state governments should assume responsibility for granting workforce visas. “I’ve been an advocate for workforce visas at the state level,” he explained, reinforcing the idea that state governors are best equipped to match employers with employees across various sectors, including construction, agriculture, engineering, and aviation.

During his remarks, Stitt took a lighthearted approach, likening the U.S. immigration selection process to that of a sports team with a top draft pick. “We should be able to choose the very best and brightest to our country,” he declared. Stitt also stressed the need for stricter border controls to ensure the quality of immigrants entering the country.

Operation Guardian: A State Initiative

Stitt recently launched **Operation Guardian**, an initiative aimed at empowering state and local law enforcement to collaborate more effectively with the Trump Administration and ICE in order to remove criminal illegal immigrants from Oklahoma. “I put my commissioner of public safety in charge to say, ‘How many people do we currently have in prison in the state of Oklahoma who are here illegally that have committed crimes?'” Stitt explained. This initiative underscores his commitment to addressing illegal immigration at the state level.

The Limits of State Authority

Despite the push for state-level immigration enforcement, Stitt also recognized the limitations of such initiatives. He criticized a proposal from the Oklahoma State Department of Public Instruction that aimed to verify the immigration status of children enrolled in public schools. “In Oklahoma, I also said, ‘Listen, we’re not going to ask for immigration status for 6, 7, 8-year-old kids in school,” he remarked.

This stance, however, met with opposition from Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, who suggested that Stitt’s refusal to check the immigration status of schoolchildren conflicted with the broader goals of President Trump’s administration. Walters expressed his concerns to Fox News Digital, stating, “It is unfortunate that Gov. Stitt is thwarting President Trump’s America First agenda.”

The Road Ahead

The divergence in opinions among Oklahoma’s leadership highlights the complexity of immigration reform within the states. While some leaders seek a cohesive strategy to address the multifaceted challenges of illegal immigration, others caution against overreach and advocate for the protection of children in schools. With national conversations about immigration policy evolving, the joint efforts of stalwarts like Polis and Stitt could pave the way for innovative ideas about state involvement in enforcing immigration laws.

As the political landscape continues to shift, governors will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of immigration policy in the United States—one that reflects the unique needs and challenges of their respective states.