Alabama Passes New Immigration Bill

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LawCrossing Legal Daily News Feature

Alabama Passes New Immigration Bill On Wednesday, Alabama lawmakers passed a new bill to mitigate the criticized portions of Alabama’s controversial immigration law, though critics say the new law would only make things worse. The criticism ran so high that seven protesters were arrested outside the Alabama state House and Senate including the legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Southern Poverty Law Center is among the plaintiffs who have filed a federal lawsuit against the current immigration law of Alabama.

05/17/12

adding several positions that make it even more dangerous.”

The new immigration bill, HB 658 was approved on Wednesday by both the state House and the Senate.

The representatives of the ACLU said that the new bill

It is now waiting for the signature of the Governor to

requires the Alabama Department of Homeland Security

become law.

to post online the names of illegal immigrants available from court records. The new law also allows the law

Jeremy King, a spokesman for Gov. Robert Bentley

enforcement to detain a person up to 48 hours while

told the media, “We will conduct a final review of the

determining his/her immigration status.

legislation as passed and make a final decision from there … Governor Bentley’s goal is to emerge with

Olivia Turner, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama

an immigration bill that is simplified, clarified, more

said that “Alabama took a step backward in approving

effective, and more enforceable.”

this ill-conceived measure … Lawmakers were deaf to the concerns of many residents, business owners

Senator Dick Brewbaker informed CNN that the new

and police who realize this law is a bad idea. Alabama

bill does not address those parts of the law that are at

will continue to pay a severe price for a law that is

issue before the federal courts. He added that the new

almost impossible to enforce properly and blatantly

bill addresses unintended outcomes of the immigration

unconstitutional.”

law and clarifies the types of documents that are A federal appeals court has blocked some components

sufficient for formal identification.

of the current law including a draconian measure that However, critics remain suspicious. The Alabama

required Alabama officials to check the immigration

Coalition for Immigrant Justice issued a statement

status of children in public schools.

saying, “The new bill preserves most of the law while

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