Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signed a "tough illegal immigration law" Thursday morning, his press office said.
The bill is considered by both supporters and critics to be among the toughest in the nation, even stricter than controversial laws in Arizona and Georgia.
Under the new law, public schools will be required to determine the citizenship and immigration status of enrolling students through sworn affidavits or birth certificates.
Authorities will also be required to detain a person who they believe is in the country illegally if the person cannot produce proof of residency when stopped "for any reason."
Alabama businesses will be required to use a database called E-Verify to look up the immigration status of new employees. The use of the database was recently endorsed after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a separate Arizona immigration law.
It will be illegal for Alabama residents to knowingly give a ride or transport an illegal immigrant or for a landlord to knowingly rent a property to an illegal immigrant.
Cecillia Wang, managing attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union's immigrants rights project, called the bill "outrageous and blatantly unconstitutional" in an interview with The New York Times before Bentley signed it.
Huntsville Times editorial: A law, mostly for Hispanics
FULL STORY
I think it is time for the A.C.L.U. to change it's name to ALIEN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION! Because they are not working for the American civil liberties, they seemed to be more concerned for the ILLEGAL ALIENS than they are for us Americans.
Nope – they defend EVERYONE'S civil rights. The right sor you can walk down a street with a swastika on your shirt, the right for you to have accomodations if you are in a wheelchair, the right for you to go to a rally with the opposing side's photo on your hat, etc. Civil liberties are for all, not just for a few.
This is a proud moment for Alabama and all who support such measures. Look at what Mexico has become...a nation that was poised for great prosperity now run and terrorized by drug cartels. Is this the America you want for the future? Corpses hanging from bridges, assassinations of anyone in a position of authority? Is not the methodology of the cartels only capitalism at it's worst and most extreme? I thought all you ILLEGAL immigrant supporters hated capitalism? Yet you would have our nation become the same as the criminal state South of our border? ILLEGAL immigration begins on the wrong premise, that is; it's already ILLEGAL. Those that enter our nation ILLEGALLY should have no rights, except the right to be humanely escorted back across the border.
So, illegal immigrants = drug cartel members. Really? Oh, I forgot, you also think all african-americans are on welfare or in gangs. Get a clue.
Your right. What more is there to say. I applaud this effort and hope that this approach will soon be adopted by all the states.
The ACLU should drop the word 'American" The A acronym is an oxymorn as they are the most Anti-American org bar outside of Al Queda.
Janetlaw, you're sophmoric reply speaks volumes about your racism.
@ janetlaw in which part of patriot's oppinion did he mention that all african-americans are in gangs or on welfare? And all you have to do is turn on the evening news and you can understand how patriot makes the corelation between illegal immigrants and drug cartles....maybe you should take your own advice!
I invite all of those people who say immigrants stole our jobs to go and do some of the work they do. By all means, pick fruit in the fields, harvest spinach, do day-labor building houses, clean toilets, etc. Now go do it for minimum wage or less.
The reason they have these jobs is because the vast majority of Americans don't want to do them. That, or the business owner wants to lower his labor costs and hiring illegals is the fastest way to do that.
The reason unemployment is high is because companies like Wal-Mart and Target look for the cheapest goods to stock their shelves and the cheapest goods come from Asia, so manufacturing jobs have moved there.
B.S. Maurice. Nobody is complaining about the mirgrant workers which only make-up 2% of the workforce anyways. Mexicans are leeches.
Maurice,
You are right, vast majority. But the bottom line is there are people who will pick strawberries. Go look at the raids in humboldt county. Once the illegals were gone the local high school kids started working the farms. This is what everyone is talking about.
I know Americans who clean houses. They lost their jobs in this economy. Partly to illegals sending their money out of the country and not stimulating our economy.
Do your hw next time.
Americans d no loose their jobs because of illegals. Americans lost their jobs because Republicans have made easier to companies to move out of the country. Go to your local walmart and see how many "made in usa" products you can find. Mostly none...
Lets follow suit America
I think that being stopped for any reason is insane, im sure if I lived in Alabama I would be "stopped" due the fact that im not caucasian. I smell racial profiling, never have visited Alabama and never will !
From the wonderful state of Alabama............GOOD.
robert, you are just another KKK in alabama...
I think you are absoluetly right Rosa, its sad how some people can be so hateful, im sure Alabama will still suffer regardless of this "brilliant" policy. I dont mind there being laws on immigration, but im sorry, if this law is going to force people in having to carry their birthcirtificates with them, then count me out in supporting any of these policies.
Rosa Parks, not everyone in Alabama is a kkk member. My family goes back more than five generations and not a single one of us has ever been a memeber. I think your the racist one.
Congrats to Alabama who has the balls to do the right thing. The US can't afford illegal aliens and they should continue to be rooted out and deported. We need to control our borders and I don't want to hear the BS about who will be picking our crops. Every day we hear about unemployment and sooner or later those who need to eat will be picking!!!!!!!!!!! The Latino crime rate is also well over twice their population %. Put tanks with ammo on our borders!!
I LOVE this new law!! We need it in Texas!!! For those who say how unfair it is, American laws are for AMERICANS. Kudos to Alabama for beginning what I hope is a series of new very similar (or exactly the same) laws in other American States!!
a) if the ACLU is against it, it must be good for America, and
b) why don't all you liberals (including white educated males) stop attacking the symptoms of the problem (like this bill and the one in AZ) and demand that your Federal government enforce it's own immigration laws? Most Americans are not anti-Hispanic or anti- any other ethic group, but we are against people breaking into our country, living on the fringe of society and expecting and receiving benefits that our states cannot afford to provide.
Congradulations to Robert Bentley for being the KKK employee of the month.
find something better to do you fat ugly old fart
Trust me, I live in California and you better be happy that Alabama has passed this law. Let's stop this uphill mudslide now..
To Jevil: There are thousands of illegal Mexican living in Alabama. Literally, thousands.
Check employment based green card filling process as well. Most of the beneficiaries are getting green card by publishing fake job advertisements by their employers. US has sufficient skilled workers but their are unemloyed due to such illegal activity.
AMEN Governor!
ALLELUIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How do U know for a fact that there illegal. What are you going by the color of my skin? Most likely. Its just like when they say all those Mexicans and there not even Mexicans there from other latin american countries! There are other countries besides Mexico. Oh did you read that they caught truck loads of illegal Chinness head to America thru Mexico. So there not All Mexican, but lets not talk about that lets pick on the Mexican thats picks our Food we eat because No American will and if they would they want to get Paid $20 plus. So if every1 in the food industry got paid high wages Burgers might cost say $10.00 then we Cry where does it STOP. I say it the Greedy Over Paid top people that get Paid Millons every year is the Real Problem get Smart Americans before We Destroy America
Pete, go to school! E-Verify applies to everyone seeking employment SO there is NO racial profiling at all. Also, do some reseach all studies show only 2 to 4 percent of illegal aliens work the farms, as big business owns most now and they use machines.
Hey Pete, go back to 3rd grade, (if you went in the first place) and learn the difference between "there, their, and they're". You're making yourself look like an idiot. Which we would have figured out anyway based on what you're attempting to say in your post.