Mississippi Takes Bold Step to Track Illegal Immigrants as States Choose Sides

Clear Facts

• Mississippi’s new law empowers the Department of Public Safety to compile a comprehensive registry of illegal immigrants in the state, including names, addresses, criminal histories, and deportation status
• The legislation takes effect Wednesday and requires cooperation agreements between local law enforcement and ICE under Section 287(g)
• Mississippi has fewer than 28,000 illegal immigrants, representing less than 1% of its population according to 2023 Census data

A groundbreaking Mississippi law set to take effect Wednesday will empower the state’s Department of Public Safety to create a comprehensive registry of illegal immigrants living within its borders. The measure represents a significant step in supporting President Trump’s immigration enforcement priorities.

The law authorizes state officials to use “all reasonable lawful investigative means available” to determine both the number and identities of illegal immigrants in Mississippi. The registry will include names, addresses, countries of origin, age classifications, criminal histories, and deportation proceeding details.

State Sen. Angela Hill, the Republican sponsor of the legislation, defended the measure as both common sense and necessary.

“In order to address the problems caused by illegal immigration, we need to understand the magnitude of the problem,” Hill said.

“Identifying the number and identity of illegal aliens in Mississippi is a concrete way to better understand the problem.”

Hill argued that states have both a right and an obligation to assist federal authorities in combating illegal immigration, which she noted contributes to human trafficking, drug trafficking, and other serious crimes. The law instructs the agency to share information on immigrants suspected of violating laws with state and local authorities.

While the legislation does not explicitly require sharing the database with federal immigration authorities, other provisions of SB 2114 mandate that the Department of Public Safety and county detention facilities establish cooperation agreements with ICE under Section 287(g). The registry will remain active for two years and will track individuals who overstay visas as well as those who entered illegally.

Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, endorsed the approach.

“It raises the likelihood that someone’s illegal presence is going to come to the attention of federal authorities,” Vaughan said, adding that the law “makes a lot of sense.”

Vaughan noted that state officials must develop “a credible and fairly foolproof way of correctly determining someone’s immigration status” to ensure the registry’s effectiveness.

The law comes as states across the nation have taken opposing positions on immigration enforcement. More than 100 immigration-related laws have been adopted nationwide this year, with Republican-led states supporting Trump’s enforcement agenda while blue states have erected barriers to federal immigration operations.

Mississippi’s approach mirrors a 2021 executive order by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that directed state law enforcement to identify illegal immigrants transported to Florida during the border crisis. Republican-led states have increasingly required local sheriffs to sign cooperative agreements with ICE, reinforced eligibility restrictions for public benefits, and instructed election officials to verify citizenship status on voter rolls.

In contrast, Democrat-controlled states have banned cooperative agreements with ICE, prohibited federal agents from wearing masks during operations, and restricted immigration arrests in schools and hospitals without judicial warrants. These opposing approaches reflect the deep divide over immigration policy and state cooperation with federal enforcement.

Mississippi represents a particularly interesting test case given its relatively small illegal immigrant population. With fewer than 28,000 illegal immigrants according to 2023 Census Bureau data, the state has one of the country’s smallest percentages of residents living in the country unlawfully—less than 1% of its total population.

The Trump administration has complemented state-level efforts by increasing enforcement of existing federal laws requiring noncitizens to register with the U.S. government. These coordinated efforts between willing states and the federal government represent a significant shift in immigration enforcement strategy.

Critics of the law have raised concerns about potential profiling and resource allocation, but supporters maintain that knowing who is in the state illegally is a fundamental requirement for public safety and the rule of law. The measure takes effect this week as Mississippi joins other states taking concrete action to support lawful immigration and border security.

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