Governor Robert Bentley of Alabama has made history this week. Wondering how? Well, if you were thinking of moving to Alabama as an illegal immigrant, you better think again. The new law Governor Bentley just signed has put some provisions into place for public schools and the students they accept.
Now, it will be a crime to knowingly give any illegal immigrant a free ride in the Alabama educational system. People who oppose this sort of law may want to relocate from Alabama, as it is already causing quite the controversy.
Additionally, the law will allow the police to arrest anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant as long as they are stopped for another reason. We can see such a law, similar to that passed in Arizona last year, acting as a hindrance for anyone from another country to move to Alabama – legal or not. Under the new law, employers are also required to verify the citizenship validity of any workers they hire.
The law appears to be the toughest of its kind and it likely to be challenged by groups like the ACLU. In fact, lawsuits against the law may even be filed within the next few months. Critics of the law will consider it unconstitutional and plain racist.
Alabama joins the ranks of Arizona and its immediate neighbor, Georgia, by cracking down on illegal immigration. With such a law on the books, how do you feel about moving to or from any of these states?
Jon Huser
