Ms. Rivas, kiss my grits!!!!!!!!!!!! I am calling Rep. Hammon in support!

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/i ... xml&coll=2

Freshman lawmaker puts focus on immigrant bills
Friday, March 24, 2006
KELLI HEWETT TAYLOR
News staff writer

DECATUR - State Rep. Micky Hammon is tired of waiting for the federal government to do something about illegal immigration, so he is taking the lead in trying to make Alabama the country's toughest state on illegal aliens.

Hammon, a first-term representative, is sponsoring five illegal immigration bills, more than any other Alabama legislator this year.

He's also working with U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, a fellow Republican, to make Alabama the first state to train deputies and police to enforce immigration laws. Under the plan, local law enforcement in Morgan and Limestone counties would join federal agents and state troopers in enforcing those laws.

"I think it's important for somebody to take the first step and be forging ahead," Hammon said. "We know a lot of this is a federal problem, but we can't just stand back and wait."

Sessions' representatives have urged Hammon to get written support from those county commissions. Alabama then will be at the head of the line for federal training money if Congress approves immigration-reform legislation being debated next week.

Hammon said almost half his contact with constituents involves complaints about illegal immigrants - issues other legislators also wrestle with.

"I think the time has passed where we throw up our hands and say, `There's nothing we can do about it,'" Hammon said. "We can have a lot of people on the ground helping."

Morgan County Sheriff Greg Bartlett said one of his biggest problems is drug trafficking among Hispanics. "If we don't do anything, it's going to mushroom into a situation that's out of control."

Bartlett said his deputies see illegal immigrants come in and out of jail under different identities, but federal immigration agents say to release them because the agents are too busy with other cases.

Hammon's first and failed attempt at immigration reform last year would have charged $5 fees for money transfers to try to curb the high rate of money Hispanic immigrants send home.

Four of Hammon's bills this year have sailed through House committees with virtually no opposition. All are in line to be scheduled for full House votes, which Hammon expects in the next few weeks.

The bills would allow authorities to impound vehicles and seize personal property of immigrants who are verified to be here illegally - similar to policies for drug dealers. Other bills would deny non-emergency services to illegal immigrants and make it a felony for an illegal immigrant to attempt to vote.

Hammon said he hasn't gotten a single complaint about his latest bills, although he said he's sure there are opponents.

Among them is Helen Rivas, a Birmingham advocate for immigrants.

"Denial of services is not going to deter them from coming," she said. "We need solutions that work, such as national immigration reform to allow additional work visas."

Hammon said his programs are not ethnically motivated. "We want folks here legally to enjoy the same things we enjoy."

Hammon said he, too, wants to see Congress make more work visas available for needed employees. "We are trying to protect the citizens."

E-mail: ktaylor@bhamnews.com