Press Release: State Futures Joined by State Lawmakers from 7 States for Joint Briefing on Rule-of-Law Legislation and Coordinated Federal Response
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gaby Goldstein, President, State Futures
PRESS RELEASE: State Futures Joined by State Lawmakers from 7 States for Joint Briefing on Rule-of-Law Legislation and Coordinated Federal Response
Lawmakers from across the country outlined enacted and forthcoming legislation to protect civil rights, counter federal overreach, and uphold the rule of law
WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 18, 2025 – State Futures hosted twelve state legislators from seven states for a joint virtual press conference highlighting a coordinated, multi-state effort to respond to escalating federal actions that undermine constitutional protections, target immigrant communities, and disregard court orders. During the briefing, lawmakers shared updates on bills already enacted in their states, and discussed legislation set to be introduced in upcoming legislative sessions and the value of cross-state collaboration.
Participating state lawmakers with enacted and proposed rule-of-law protection bills included:
California Asm. Alex Lee
Colorado Sen. Mike Weissman and Rep. Lorena Garcia
Illinois Sen. Graciela Guzmán
Maryland Del. Nicole Williams
New York Sens. Andrew Gounardes, Patricia Fahy, Shelley Mayer, and Zellnor Myrie, and Asm. Micah Lasher
Pennsylvania Sen. Amanda Cappelletti
Virginia Del. Irene Shin
BACKGROUND:
Across the country, state lawmakers are stepping in as the federal government abandons long-standing norms and obligations. Federal immigration enforcement has become increasingly aggressive and opaque, including the use of masked agents and raids in sensitive locations such as schools, libraries, and courthouses.
In response, states have advanced a suite of rule-of-law protections, including:
Bans on 287(g) agreements between state and local police and ICE
“No Secret Police” bills prohibiting masked law enforcement and requiring visible identification
Protections for sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and libraries
Private rights of action allowing residents to sue under state law if their civil rights are violated by federal agents
Together, these protections form the backbone of a coordinated response to federal overreach. States have a tremendous opportunity to work together to protect communities and the rule of law, and lawmakers emphasized that collaboration across states is essential to elevating and sustaining this movement.
The lawmakers sent a clear message: when the federal government fails to uphold the rule of law, states are stepping up - together - to protect their communities and defend constitutional principles.
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