state Legislative Platform
EXPANDING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY
AT THE STATE LEVEL
Since its founding, the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition has coordinated statewide legislative advocacy to advance immigrant rights in the Keystone State. This includes engaging and educating elected officials and policymakers across Pennsylvania through meetings and advocacy campaigns, increasing the general public’s knowledge about the positive impact of immigrant communities, and building grassroots support for pro-immigrant legislation and welcoming policies.
Immigrants continue to play a critical role in Pennsylvania’s population stability and federal representation, including reversing population decline and helping preserve access to congressional seats and federal resources through the Census. Ongoing challenges to immigrants’ constitutional rights underscore the importance of this work. Protecting due process, free speech, access to education, and other fundamental rights is essential to maintaining a healthy democracy and safe communities.
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Allows individuals without a Social Security Number to apply for a driver’s license or learner's permit using secure alternatives such as a federal taxpayer identification number.
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Adds a privacy and confidentiality provision for standard issues drivers licenses and photo identification.
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Adds protections for noncommercial driver’s license or learner's permits that don’t meet federal standards for identification.
Senate Companion Bill is Senate Bill 24
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Establishing the Office of New Pennsylvanians, which will serve as an information clearinghouse for Commonwealth agencies on immigration related policy issues and coordinate among agencies as appropriate.
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The office would ensure the state gathers and analyzes data and trends impacting immigrants in PA and make policy recommendations, convene stakeholders, and develop strategies to attract, retain and integrate immigrants.
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Establishes an advisory committee within the Office of New Pennsylvanians.
Officer Visibility Act: Ensuring Trust and Public Safety
Senate Companion Bill is Senate Bill 1071
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Requires federal immigration enforcement officials to clearly identify themselves and prohibits wearing non-surgical face coverings.
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Creates a private right of action at the state level for those who can prove harm as a result of violations.
Senate Companion Bill is Senate Bill 86
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Provides eligibility for undocumented individuals to pay Pennsylvania resident tuition rates at any PASSHE institution, community college, or state-related university, provided they meet established requirements.
The Police and Community Safety Act
Senate Companion Bill is Senate Bill 1139
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Prohibits law enforcement from engaging in Federal immigration authorities, as well as spending their resources on immigration enforcement efforts.
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It would also prohibit public or private postsecondary institutions in Pennsylvania from enacting or enforcing discriminatory immigration enforcement policies.
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The Office of Attorney General would support both law enforcement and schools by developing model policies for them to implement and follow.
Prohibiting State Police from Entering 287G Agreements
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Prohibits state police from entering 287g agreements.
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Providing minimum hourly wage and overtime protections to agricultural workers and payment of overtime at time and one-half per hour for work over 40 hours in a week.
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Establishes farmworkers who live in housing provided through their employment in the category of persons protected by Pennsylvania tenancy laws.
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Extending the protections of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to persons employed in agriculture, protecting them from discrimination by employers based on race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age for those 40 and over, sex, national origin, familial status, handicap or disability. It also adds protection against discrimination or retaliation for exercising protected rights.
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Provides a clear, consistent, and victim-centered approach to the U visa certification process by requiring officials to develop a publicly accessible protocol.
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Establishes requirements for certifying officials and agencies related to request processing timeframes, record keeping, language access, training, and victim notification.
Companion Bill in the House is House Bill 2148
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Requires school boards to pass resolutions to prevent immigration enforcement from taking place at schools without a judicial warrant.
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The policy would extend to their party contractors who do business with schools, vendors, and would require school bus drivers to not data share or answer any questions for federal immigration enforcement officials.
