Alabama officials support changes to immigration law
December 15, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, AL: Earlier this year, Republicans in the state legislature passed a controversial immigration law.
After sweeping victories in the 2010 legislative elections, Republicans had the votes to enact their legislation. Among other things, the law requires schools to report students and parents who are not legal residents, and forbids illegal immigrants from engaging in any government contracts -- including paying a water bill to the public utilities company.[1]
Now, after recent controversies surrounding two arrests, some Republicans have expressed a desire to alter some of the bill.
- Governor Robert Bentley (R) said the law is too complicated and needs to be simplified.[2]
- Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard (R) and Senate President Pro Tempore Del Marsh committed to making tweaks to the legislation.[1]
- The 12 Democratic state senators want to repeal the bill while at least 13 Republican senators want to tweak aspects of the legislation.[3]
- Attorney General Luther Strange (R) sent a letter to the legislature recommending that certain sections of the bill be repealed.[4]
Some groups have called for Bentley to call a special session to address the bill, but the governor says the legislature should address the issue in February 2012 when the regular session commences.[5]
The AFL-CIO released a report this week that criticizes the law and calls it "anti-worker."[6]
Alabama begins its session on February 7, 2012.
See also
Footnotes
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The State Column, "Gov. Robert Bentley: We will change Alabama immigration reform law," December 9, 2011
- ↑ Fox News Latino, "Alabama Immigration Law May Get Second Look After Big Business Backlash," December 8, 2011
- ↑ Gadsen Times, "Legislators divided over Alabama immigration law fix," December 10, 2011
- ↑ The New American, "Alabama AG Recommends Changing State Immigration Law," December 8, 2011
- ↑ Think Progress, "Gov. Robert Bentley Should Call A Special Legislative Session To Roll Back Alabama’s Anti-Immigrant Law Right Now," December 12, 2011
- ↑ The Birmingham News, "AFL-CIO group releases report on Alabama's immigration law," December 15, 2011
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