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Abstract

This analysis will seek to provide data on the modern topic of immigration federalism and will examine the question; what amount of agency do state and local governments have in immigration related policy areas? To start, a discussion on the evolution of the contemporary U.S. immigration system will set the context of the analysis and will lead into scholarly considerations on the dynamics of federalism and the emerging notion of immigration federalism. Following this, we will outline areas that state and local governments have used to encourage or discourage migration into their communities. Findings and trends will then be drawn from case studies pertaining to four states—Michigan, New York, California, and Arizona—providing a glimpse into the practice of sub-national immigration policy tactics. While these cases provide an example of the breadth of accommodating or restrictionist immigration policy employed by state and local governments, this analysis should not be viewed as an exhaustive report on the state immigration federalism in the country. Further research is needed to fully examine and apply quantitative data and legal rulings pertaining to the topic in order to generalize.

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