Thread: Alabama Rally puts spotlight on immigration

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/app ... 60310/1009

March 6, 2008



Alabama Rally puts spotlight on immigration

By Kym Klass
kklass@gannett.com





Plenty of people showed up Wednesday to rally for a proposed immigration bill -- but not enough legislators showed up to vote on the measure.

More than 100 residents rallied outside the Capitol while the Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability Committee held a hearing on the bill. But when it came time to vote, only five committee members were present -- one short of the number needed to take a legal vote.

Senate Bill 426, sponsored by Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, would create a new form of identification -- the Alabama Verified Employee Identification Card -- issued by the state Department of Public Safety.

Beginning in January 2010, the bill would require all employers to verify the legal status of employees by checking and copying an Alabama driver's license, an Alabama non-driver's ID, or an Alabama Verified Employee ID.

The senators who were present for the entire hearing were Beason; committee chair Ted Little, D-Auburn; Ben Brooks, R-Mobile; and Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills.

Sen. Wendell Mitchell, D-Luverne, attended most of the public hearing but left before the vote. Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, missed the first part of the public hearing but arrived before the end.

Absent were Kim Benefield, D-Woodland; Linda Coleman, D-Birmingham; Parker Griffith, D-Huntsville; Myron Penn, D-Union Springs; and Zeb Little, D-Cullman.

"They did it on purpose," said Gail Baker of Pelham, a vocal supporter of Senate Bill 426. "If they think that they can blow off the people of Alabama and not take care of this issue this year, then we'll vote them out of office."

Beason told the crowd of supporters outside the State House on Wednesday that powerful groups and people in Alabama oppose the legislation.

"They are opposed to us doing anything about securing the border of Mexico, and they are very much opposed about us moving and acting on a state level," he said. "My position is that the federal government has failed at the border. It's their job to protect us at the border, and once those people come across the border, it is no longer a federal issue, it is a state issue."

Other provisions in Beason's bill would:


Require all state agencies to verify the citizenship status of everyone 14 and older who applies for state or federal benefits.


Restrict all college scholarships and financial aid to people in the United States lawfully.


Make it a crime for a person to transport, conceal or protect an illegal immigrant from detection by state or federal authorities.


Require verification of the legal status of every person charged with a crime before they can be released from jail on bail.

Jerry Johnston was the most visible opponent of Beason's bill. He walked slowly around the crowd carrying a sign that read: "Love they neighbor as thyself ... Jesus of Nazareth ... Shame on all of you!"

"I'm a Christian, and this law would make it illegal for me to practice my Christian faith," he said. "Christ did not say love thy neighbor as long as he has a green card.

"Someone very smart said to me one time, 'Right is right even if nobody is doing it. Wrong is wrong even if everybody is doing it.' We need immigration reform, but not reform that hates people," he said. "Not one that allows profiling of people because of the color of their skin."

Jane Dezenzio drove from Birmingham to attend the rally and public hearing. There need to be stronger laws preventing illegal immigration, she said.

"Immigration is extremely important to our country," she said. "We're all immigrants. We need the growth, we need the work, but it needs to be legal. Even though there are laws, they are not being enforced.

"This is a good start."

Ok anyone here from Alabama. Get off your ass and let it rip! I think we need to do some research on those that COWARDLY di dnot show and let's just see how deep the pockets are! That is my goal this weekend.

Related thread:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-106686-alabama.html+rally