Albertville seeks ICE office to deal with illegal immigration
Posted: Mar 09, 2010 3:19 PM PST Updated: Mar 09, 2010 4:25 PM PST

By Stephen McLamb

ALBERTVILLE, AL (WAFF) - Albertville city leaders are on their way to Washington D.C. to meet with our two senators.

The topic, illegal immigration.

City officials want to see if a greater federal presence can be made in dealing with illegal immigration. But they've also enlisted the help of a nationally recognized immigration attorney.

Albertville city officials are moving forward in their quest to curbing illegal immigration.

They're now heading to Washington D.C. to meet with Alabama Senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby.

"We're also asking for funding through Senator Sessions office for an ICE office in Albertville to serve the northern district of Alabama," said Albertville Mayor Lindsey Lyons.

The city is also looking at implementing an E-Verify system for employers to make certain their employees are legal. But an advocate for the Hispanic community feels those issues should not be dealt with at the local level.

"That's the government's decision whether it should be made mandatory, the federal government should make that mandatory," said Aylene Sepulveda, a Hispanic community advocate.

To implement the idea, the city is working on an ordinance. So they've enlisted the help of nationally recognized attorney Kris Kobach.

"He is the man when it comes to illegal immigration issues and dealing with litigation," said Albertville City Councilman Chuck Ellis.

Councilman Ellis said he received authorization from the council to have Kobach come to Albertville later this month.

"Enables us to lay out options that we've got for the city and gives us direction and way to go," said Ellis.

Sepulveda feels all this action will have a backlash on the city financially if Hispanics leave.

Mayor Lyons says the negative feedback he's gotten is from those who hire illegals.

Kris Kobach is expected to arrive in Albertville to meet with city officials there on March 22nd.

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=12112355