Since USA citizens, evidently including state lawmakers and governors, tend to be clueless about their countrys history, its not surprising that state versus federal government constitutional authority to regulate immigration, a major issue during the presidencies of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, has been completely forgotten.
More specifically, regardless of PC interpretations of the Constitutions uniform Rule of Naturalization Clause (1.8.4) used to justify federal immigration laws, while state sovereignty-ignoring Adams signed a constitutionally indefensible federal immigration bill into law, both Jefferson and Madison, Madison generallly regarded as the father of the Constitution, wrote that such a law is unconstitutional in the context of state sovereignty. This is evidenced by the excerpts below.
Here is the relevant excerpt from Jeffersons writings.
4. _Resolved_, That alien friends are under the jurisdiction and protection of the laws of the State wherein they are: that no power over them has been delegated to the United States, nor prohibited to the individual States, distinct from their power over citizens. And it being true as a general principle, and one of the amendments to the Constitution having also declared, that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people, the act of the Congress of the United States, passed on the - day of July, 1798, intituled An Act concerning aliens, which assumes powers over alien friends, not delegated by the Constitution, is not law, but is altogether void, and of no force [emphasis added]. Thomas Jefferson, Draft of the Kentucky Resolutions - October 1798.
Here is the related excerpt from Madison's writings from the Virginia Resolutions.
"That the General Assembly doth particularly protest against the palpable and alarming infractions of the Constitution, in the two late cases of the Alien and Sedition Acts" passed at the last session of Congress; the first of which exercises a power no where delegated to the federal government, .... . .
. . . the General Assembly doth solemenly appeal to the like dispositions of the other states, in confidence that they will concur with this commonwealth in declaring, as it does hereby declare, that the acts aforesaid, are unconstitutional; and that the necessary and proper measures will be taken by each, for co-operating with this state, in maintaining the Authorities, Rights, and Liberties, referred to the States respectively, or to the people [emphasis added]. James Madison, Draft of the Virginia Resolutions - December 1798.
Thanks for the relevant history on this issue.