The League of Women Voters believes that immigration policies should promote reunification of immediate families; meet the economic, business, and employment needs of the United States; and be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises.
We acknowledge that our immigration system has been in need of reform for decades. We support federal immigration laws that provide efficient, expeditious systems for immigrants to enter the United States legally. (Our full position is available in our Impact on Issues Document here.)
While policy reforms, including a path to legal status, remain unachieved, the League does not support deporting immigrants who have no history of major or violent criminal activity. The League supports due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal, and right to humane treatment, and we are concerned that these rights may be being violated right now.
On May 21, 2026, we brought together a panel of experts to discuss the local impacts of federal immigration policy and enforcement. They answered questions such as "Are due process rights for immigrants being upheld in our local communities? How are enforcement efforts impacting our schoolchildren? What are the impacts on the South Carolina workforce and economy?" We encourage you to watch the recording, and explore their suggestions for how you can get involved.
In January of 2026, LWV Charleston Area hosted a presentation by Dr. Melissa Siegel, Professor and Head of Migration Studies at The United Nations University and Maastricht University in Maastricht, The Netherlands; the presentation was entitled "The Broken US Immigration System." Dr. Siegel has over 20 years of experience in the fields of migration, development and public policy, and has been called on to teach, consult, give policy advice and do trainings all over the world, including for the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Bank, and the International Labor Organization as well as for many governments.
The presentation was not recorded, but she did share the slides with us. You can view them here.
