Bipartisan Governors Launch Immigration Reform Task Force

Four governors—Kevin Stitt (Oklahoma), Westmore Moore (Maryland), Spencer Cox (Utah), and Matt Meyer (Delaware)—announced the formation of a bipartisan immigration reform task force during the National Governors Association summer meeting. The initiative emerged from a February conversation where governors discovered unexpected bipartisan agreement on immigration solutions despite it being a traditionally divisive issue.

The governors identified three core areas of focus: securing the border, removing criminal elements from the country, and fixing legal immigration. They emphasized that the current national immigration policy is broken and has remained unresolved for 40 years, but argue that timing is now favorable because border security has been achieved, removing a major obstacle to reform.

A key proposal involves state-issued workforce permits that would allow employers to hire workers when they cannot find U.S. citizens for positions, with fees potentially going toward the national debt. The governors stressed that their approach should not be one-size-fits-all but rather allow states to address their specific economic needs, whether agriculture, construction, or hospitality.

The governors cited specific concerns about current enforcement practices, noting that people with legal status and long-term contributions to their communities are being targeted, such as a Vietnamese national in Oklahoma with a 25-year legal presence who was flagged for deportation over a marijuana offense from 25 years ago. Governor Cox raised concerns about violent incidents related to enforcement tactics and emphasized the need for common sense in policy implementation.

Governor Meyer highlighted how the broken immigration system is affecting state economies and workforce stability, with workers afraid to show up for jobs and employers unable to complete essential work. All four governors agreed that comprehensive reform is necessary and that doing nothing allows states to bear the consequences of a dysfunctional federal system. While acknowledging serious disagreements exist even among themselves—particularly on citizenship pathways—they argued that finding common ground on practical solutions is both possible and urgent.