2026 State Legislative Session In Review - Immigration and Rule of Law

In 2026,  states and their constituents continued to face unprecedented federal attacks. Legislators across the country responded, passing dozens of bills to protect constituents’ rights and prevent federal encroachment. These bills regulated federal immigration detention centers and law enforcement activity, created legal avenues to protect constituent rights, established fiscal mechanisms to protect legally enforceable rights and align state spending with community values, protected the privacy of constituents, and created worker protections. 

As of August 13, 2026,  242 bills have been introduced in 32 states. Of those, 53 bills have been passed in 17 states, including 48 that have been enacted, 3 awaiting signature, and 2 vetoed.  This Issue Brief provides detail about all of the successful bills, including a table of bills at the end.