Governors push immigration overhaul, citing secure border and economic needs

Utah Governor Spencer Cox, together with Democratic Governor Matt Meyer, will head a National Governors Association task force aimed at overhauling U.S. immigration policy, arguing that a now-secure border makes reform feasible. They point to a dramatic fall in monthly border encounters, from a peak of 300,000 under President Joe Biden to roughly 10,000 after President Donald Trump’s stricter measures. The bipartisan coalition, which includes Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Maryland Governor Wes Moore, seeks to give states more authority to issue migrant work permits and to align deportation priorities with economic growth.

State legislators such as Utah Senator John Curtis are introducing state-level visa proposals, while Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has revived a bill allowing fines for legal status. Despite the governors’ optimism, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told the group that comprehensive immigration reform is not currently possible, though he supported updating seasonal visa programs. The effort reflects a rare cross-party consensus on securing the border, removing criminal elements, and fixing the legal immigration system.