Advocates for Mississippi's immigrant population are hopeful that the Biden administration will overturn orders and acts passed by former President Donald Trump. The American Immigration Council says there are more than 70 thousand immigrants living in Mississippi, around three-fifths of whom are non-citizens. Amelia McGowan, with the Mississippi Center for Justice, says law changes could prevent another situation like the ICE raids in 2019 -- that led to the arrests of 680 undocumented immigrants across six Mississippi cities. "People came out from both sides of the aisle, to say how much these raids hurt their community, and so I think it's important when we talk about immigration to realize people are immigrating, people are seeking protection in this country or a life in this country are integral members of Mississippi's community, are Mississippians. It's really important to humanize the conversation, then let that be reflected in our policies."
While the federal government controls immigration law, McGowan says there are things Mississippi lawmakers can do to help the state's immigrant population. She says one example is expanding in-state tuition to anyone who meets residency requirements regardless of immigration status. "If you live in Mississippi for a certain number of years or graduated from a Mississippi Highschool, that's one area where I think the legislature could make a big impact," says McGowan. "Another option again is to make driver's licenses more accessible to immigrants in Mississippi, because some immigrants have work authorization but they may not be able to drive, so I think that's an important part of helping people integrate in their local communities."
Mississippi law mandates that employers must use the e-verify system to check an immigrant's right to work in the state. Currently, state law does not allow undocumented immigrants to enroll in Medicaid, the CHIPS program, or receive a driver’s license.
