The United States of America is in a crisis. For nearly five decades our nation has been under invasion from hordes of foreign nationals who have introduced crime, suppressed domestic wages, driven up the cost of living, overwhelmed our public services, and undermined our culture. Our Founding Fathers warned against the threat mass immigration posed to the preservation of our Union. As observed by Alexander Hamilton: 

“The safety of a republic depends essentially on the energy of a common National sentiment; on a uniformity of principles and habits; on the exemption of the citizens from foreign bias, and prejudice; and on that love of country which will almost invariably be found to be closely connected with birth, education and family…The influx of foreigners must, therefore, tend to produce a heterogeneous compound; to change and corrupt the national spirit; to complicate and confound public opinion; to introduce foreign propensities.”

Though the United States Constitution grants the federal government primary authority over immigration enforcement, it has until only recently been derelict in its duty to preserve the integrity of the body politic from foreign influence. Idaho can no longer afford to stand idly by as our citizens’ life, liberty, and property are endangered. As Idaho’s premier conservative think tank, we emphatically stand on the side of the American people in combatting this crisis. 

During the 2025 legislative session, we proudly supported the Idaho Legislature’s initial steps towards combatting the plight of mass illegal immigration. We endorsed House Bill 83, making it a crime for anyone without lawful immigration status to enter the state, or be present if they were previously subject to deportation or removal proceedings. We also endorsed House Bill 135, which declared illegal aliens ineligible for various tax-payer funded benefits, such as public health assistance for immunizations, prenatal care, postnatal care, and food assistance for a dependent child.  

Alas, the Legislature could and should have done more. Three notable pieces of legislation were left on the table and must be reintroduced this upcoming legislation session if we are to reverse, not merely slow down, our societal decline. 

1. Eliminate illegal aliens’ access to a free public education. House Bill 382 should be reintroduced to require schools to collect the immigration status and nationality of enrolled students. This mandate is essential for understanding the scope of illegal immigration’s financial burden on our public education system. In conjunction with reintroducing HB 382, the legislature should also consider directly challenging Plyler v. Doe.

2. Safeguard our elections from foreign influence. House Bill 94 should be reintroduced to penalize foreign nationals attempting to vote in all our elections and ballot measures, and mandate the Secretary of State to verify the citizenship of all persons on the statewide voter registration rolls with records from the Idaho Transportation Department and the Social Security Administration and purge ineligible voters.

3. Halt the flow of illegal immigration. House Bill 335 should be reintroduced to penalize organizations found guilty of harboring illegal aliens, transporting aliens into the state, or otherwise facilitating the unlawful presence of an illegal alien. Illegal aliens are a massive drain on Idaho's taxpayers and only exacerbate our already bloated welfare state. Any non-governmental organization that traffics in illegals not only undermines our social fabric, but also steals tax dollars from Idahoans.

Our forefathers made immense sacrifices to establish a land of liberty and prosperity for the American people. The Idaho Freedom Foundation stands ready to assist Idaho’s lawmakers in defending our heritage against the onslaught of mass illegal immigration.