Alabama lawmakers have advanced a bill that would allow police officers to verify a person's immigration status if they have "reasonable suspicion" that the individual is in the country unlawfully.
The bill, SB 53, has drawn sharp criticism from immigrant advocates, faith leaders, and civil rights groups, who say the bill will create fear for families who have been living and working in Alabama for decades
SB 53, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens (R-Arab), passed the Senate in February and was approved by the House Judiciary Committee this week, as the Alabama Reflector reports. The bill would also create a new Class C felony for knowingly transporting an undocumented individual into Alabama, a charge that could carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
"The intent of this bill, what we are trying to do, is to provide tools for our law enforcement officers," Kitchens said during the committee meeting. "If the person has been arrested and taken to jail... [this] gives the law enforcement officers and the jails... the authority they need to verify immigration status."
-
Former Sanctuary Cities Orlando and Doral Link Their Police Forces to ICE Making Florida The Toughest State on Immigration
-
ICE Refuses to Release US Citizen Detained Despite Showing Birth Certificate
-
Florida AG Tells Orlando Mayor 'There Will Be Consequences' if City Sticks With Policy Barring Officials From Inquiring About Immigration Status
Critics, however, argue the measure is unnecessary and dangerous. Jasmin Hernandez-Alamillo of the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice (ACIJ) expressed "utter devastation" at the vote:
"They are not recognizing human beings as human beings. That makes me extremely upset because I come from immigrants. My family are immigrants. I work with immigrants every single day, and they do not see us as humans"
Advocates have also warned that the bill could prevent parents from arranging to take their U.S.-born children with them if they are deported, because transporting a child across state lines might be interpreted as human smuggling, as local media outlet AL.com reported.
Allison Hamilton, ACIJ's executive director, said families are already navigating fear and uncertainty. "To criminalize anybody who just wants to be a good Samaritan and help — to make it a felony for someone to do that — is extremely concerning," she said. Kitchens claimed on Wednesday that he made revisions in response to such concerns, but also noted that too many exemptions could "weaken the bill."
The debate around SB 53 was followed by the passage of another bill in the state on Thursday, the Laken Riley Act (HB7), which requires law enforcement to determine the immigration status of those arrested and increases coordination with federal authorities.
"This bill, I think, will be key to the process of securing the safety of our communities," said Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, the bill's sponsor, when introducing his bill. "It's got common-sense protections in there and accountability and transparency."
Critics of HB7 say these state efforts risk duplicating federal functions while amplifying fear in communities. "True public safety requires thoughtful, evidence-based approaches, not reactive legislation that creates new problems while failing to solve others," said Rep. Neil Rafferty (D-Birmingham) to Alabama Daily News
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
