MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Southern Poverty Law Center re-launched a hotline today for people to report problems they have experienced as a result of Alabama's immigration law.
The hotline has been operating since September, when parts of the original immigration law went into effect. But the SPLC said in a statement that spurred it to remind people they can call the hotline at 800-982-1620 either to report problems or get information about changes lawmakers made to the law in the recent legislative session.
"State lawmakers have callously refused to address the humanitarian crisis created by Alabama's anti-immigrant law," Mary Bauer, legal director for the SPLC said in the statement. "As we continue our fight against this unconstitutional law, we want to know first-hand the suffering it is inflicting on people across the state."
Wednesday, June 06, 2012, 12:23 PM
The Birmingham News
One of the changes recently made to the law is a requirement for the Department of Homeland Security to post a quarterly report of suspected undocumented immigrants who have appeared in court for any reason and the outcome of their cases.
"This latest change in the law is nothing more than an attempt to bully and intimidate people, and serves only to encourage vigilantism," Bauer said in today's statement.
Gardendale Republican Sen. Scott Beason, who sponsored the revision bill, has said the public database is needed to show how the law is being enforced.
Opponents of the law said last week that they plan a new legal challenge and a public education campaigntargeting potential customers of the state's tourism and auto industries, in an effort to persuade lawmakers to repeal the law.
According to the SPLC statement, the hotline since September has received more than 5,800 calls that included stories of problems people said were created by the law.
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