Immigration commission choices under fire

By Bob Johnson
The Associated Press


A political brouhaha has broken out over the makeup of a commission set up by the Alabama Legislature to study legal and illegal immigration in Alabama and to make recommendations to state and federal officials concerning possible solutions.

In a statement issued Thursday, Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham said Gov. Bob Riley, a Republican, appointed campaign contributors and representatives of industries that hire illegal immigrants to the Joint Patriotic Immigration Commission. Turnham said Riley's appointments were designed to "stifle meaningful immigration reform."

Riley responded Friday with a news release by his communications director, Jeff Emerson, accusing Democrats of blocking immigration reform legislation in the Legislature.

"For the do-nothing Democrats to block Gov. Riley's proposals to combat illegal immigration and then put out garbage like this reaches a whole new level of hypocrisy, even for them," Emerson said.

A number of proposals to make it more difficult for employers to hire illegal immigrants, to prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving social services and dealing with other immigration issues were introduced by both Democrats and Republicans during this year's regular session. Most of the proposals died -- some without coming up for a vote.

One Republican on the committee, the vice chairman, Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, said he also believes the committee is stacked with people who oppose changing the status quo, but he would not blame Riley for the makeup of the committee. House Speaker Seth Hammett and Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom Jr., both Democrats, also made appointments to the commission.

"I think some members of the commission are happy with the status quo. I don't know who's totally responsible, but I do think special interests figured out a way to take over the commission," Beason said.

Beason said he wants to make sure the commission is able to do its job.

"We have to do something. The sons and daughters of Alabama are losing their jobs to people that are not citizens," Beason said.

But Beason agreed with Riley that Democratic leaders in the Legislature were responsible for immigration proposals dying in recent sessions.

"If they want to do something, they are the people in charge," Beason said.

Another legislator on the commission, Rep. Randy Hinshaw, D-Meridianville, said he was concerned about Riley's appointments.

"The administration's appointments were very tilted toward industry," Hinshaw said.

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