Alabama Senate passes slew of immigration bills

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — Today, the Senate passed three bills establishing new crimes and requirements for people unlawfully in the U.S.

Republicans said they are backing the new administration and their policies on immigration, but Democrats said there could be consequences.

“The Senate Republicans are working hard in trying to support President Trump and his goal of securing the border, and getting us back to a safe state like we used to be,” said Sen. Lance Bell (R-Pell City). Bell is sponsoring a bill that would require DNA testing for people found to be unlawfully in the US.

Sen. Wes Kitchens (R-Arab) has a bill that would make human smuggling a Class C felony. “We met with people from Texas,” he said about a trip to the southern border back in September.

“We met with a sheriff from Arizona. And a lot of these ideas came from that trip. Where we were able to see the hand-on what’s happening at the border. But, then what carries over to our states. And that’s what we’re trying to correct, these things now.”

Another bill would invalidate driver’s licenses from other states. This being for drivers who didn’t prove they were here legally when they originally got their license.

Sen. Bobby Singleton (D- Greensboro) said these bills are inhumane.

“It’s still kind of sketchy as to whether or not the way I get treated on a day to day basis, you know, being targeted,” he explained. “In terms of profiling, crimes, and being blamed for different stuff. So, it’s hard to sit back and see other races of people go through the same thing.”

Miguel Luna is a policy fellow with the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice. He said the bills incite fear in undocumented people.

“They’re frightened to go to work. They’re frightened to go to school,” he remarked. “They’re frightened to even just go outside and enjoy life. And that shouldn’t be how anybody should be living.”

These bills are headed to the House. They’ll go to committee, and then the House floor for final consideration.