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Alabama lawmakers will consider several bills during this legislative session targeting the issue getting attention all over the country right now, immigration. And those bills are getting the attention of groups like the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice.A Senate Committee discussed four bills regarding immigration on Wednesday. One would make it a crime to house or transport illegal immigrants. It would also allow police to question someone about their immigration status.Allison Hamilton is the executive director of ACIJ. She said, “Another bill that would invalidate driver's licenses from other states that are issued specifically to undocumented immigrants. This is unnecessary and an overreach of Alabama’s authority.”One of the bill's sponsors, state Sen. Chris Elliott from Baldwin County, said more than a dozen states will issue driver's licenses to people who do not show proof of citizenship. He added, “I think it’s fair to say that if somebody has one of those licenses that specifically indicates that they didn't provide any documentation of being here lawfully, then they're not here lawfully.”Dozens of protestors said just the introduction of bills they call harsh and unnecessary has created fear in immigrant communities. “There's just an incredible amount of damage being done in communities right now. And the relationship between local law enforcement and immigration communities, I don't even know if they can repair it," Hamilton said. "It's just incredibly harmful. We know that immigrants will not be reporting crimes to be engaging at all with law enforcement.”Senate Bill 63 would allow law enforcement to take fingerprints and DNA samples from illegal immigrants who are in custody before they are released to be entered into a database. And SB77 would add a fee on international wire transfers. The money would be used to enforce immigration laws and house violators.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. —
Alabama lawmakers will consider several bills during this legislative session targeting the issue getting attention all over the country right now, immigration. And those bills are getting the attention of groups like the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice.
A Senate Committee discussed four bills regarding immigration on Wednesday. One would make it a crime to house or transport illegal immigrants. It would also allow police to question someone about their immigration status.
Allison Hamilton is the executive director of ACIJ. She said, “Another bill that would invalidate driver's licenses from other states that are issued specifically to undocumented immigrants. This is unnecessary and an overreach of Alabama’s authority.”
One of the bill's sponsors, state Sen. Chris Elliott from Baldwin County, said more than a dozen states will issue driver's licenses to people who do not show proof of citizenship. He added, “I think it’s fair to say that if somebody has one of those licenses that specifically indicates that they didn't provide any documentation of being here lawfully, then they're not here lawfully.”
Dozens of protestors said just the introduction of bills they call harsh and unnecessary has created fear in immigrant communities.
“There's just an incredible amount of damage being done in communities right now. And the relationship between local law enforcement and immigration communities, I don't even know if they can repair it," Hamilton said. "It's just incredibly harmful. We know that immigrants will not be reporting crimes to be engaging at all with law enforcement.”
Senate Bill 63 would allow law enforcement to take fingerprints and DNA samples from illegal immigrants who are in custody before they are released to be entered into a database. And SB77 would add a fee on international wire transfers. The money would be used to enforce immigration laws and house violators.
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