Spotlight: Alabama

It is a few months after Governor Robert Bentley signed a tough anti-immigration law in Alabama. It is time to take stock of the effect the law has had.

As the ICIRR writes, the law "essentially turns educators, business owners, landlords and citizens into immigration officers, and punishes anyone caught hiring, housing or even giving a car ride to an undocumented person in the state." Particularly worrying is that the law requires school superintendents to request that new students provide proof of US citizenship when they apply. Although federal law prevents undocumented children from being turned away from Grade school, Alabama's law makes immigrant parents fearful of enrolling their children. The law flies in the face of legislation like the DREAM Act, which was passed in Illinois earlier this year. Under the provisions of the DREAM Act, qualifying undocumented youth ARE eligible for a 6 year long conditional path to citizenship.

Alabama's tough immigration laws have forced many immigrants to flee the state. In the process, many families have been split up. Listen to NPR's report on family splits. The laws have also brought to light racial profiling, even of high school students in Alabama. DREAMActivist.org reports that DREAM-eligible student, Christian, 17 years old, was arrested after a routine traffic stop and sent to jail. He was released only to be re-arrested three days later. While Christian was taking his girlfriend to the rodeo, a police officer asked, "why are you here, you should have been in Mexico by now!" As a result, Christian has spent the last month in jail, instead of in school.

Alabama has only a small percentage of undocumented immigrants. The Pew Hispanic Center estimates 2.5 percent of the state population and 4.2 percent of its workforce – and they pay sales tax just like everyone else, taxes that support schools, law enforcement and other services vital to the state.

Let's keep an eye on Alabama, Arizona and other states targeting immigrants to the United States. And let's stand in solidarity with these immigrants who, like us, make important contributions to the United States.