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Battle of the 2012 Legislative Session

TUSCALOOSA, Ala., Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The president of the Alabama Federation of Republican Women issued the following statement:

ALABAMA'S LAW IS WORKING! Illegal aliens are self-deporting! Unemployment is down! Tax dollars paid in public benefits to illegal aliens are down!

WHY, THEN, WOULD ALABAMA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL AND LEGISLATORS WANT TO WEAKEN THE LAW?

Voters are being forced to re-fight a battle that we won just last year. The battle to keep HB56 intact has been described as a fight between social conservatives and certain business interests who want to force taxpayers to subsidize their cheap illegal labor. Here's why:

* Attorney General Luther Strange has recommended the Legislature repeal major sections of HB56 that encourage illegal aliens to leave our state while the judicial process is still underway. He seems to have a strange desire to surrender in areas even where the state is winning.

* Senator Gerald Dial has taken the AG's torch and run with it. He submitted SB140 that repeals most sections recommended by the AG. Repeals include provisions that:

(1) Allow citizens to sue officials who refuse to enforce the law so Alabama won't become a sanctuary state,
(2) Make it a crime to knowingly rent to illegal aliens,
(3) Make it a crime to encourage or induce illegal aliens to move to Alabama,
(4) Require schools to count the number of children of illegal aliens to help budget their expense, and
(5) Mandate that applicants must show proof of citizenship to register to vote.

* Senator Paul Sanford has sponsored a bill to repeal another section recommended by the AG - that applicants do not have to show any ID to renew licenses of any type, such as tags, driver's or business licenses. This means that illegal aliens in Alabama who have licenses won't be caught. Sanford has also submitted a bill that would not require employers to use E-Verify, which he voted against the first time.
* The Republican leadership says more bills will be forthcoming but shared no details.

Republicans say they will defend and not weaken our immigration law, HB56.

Given the above examples to change/weaken our law, this leaves voters to ask if "defending the law" is a "talking point". If Republicans are sincere that they will NOT weaken our law that's wildly successful, why are they in such a rush to change this bill before the U.S. Supreme Court rules on Arizona's bill in just three months?

Our current law HB56 contains some of the same provisions as the Arizona law. If the U.S. Supreme forces changes in the Arizona law, that should be the basis for changes in the Alabama law. Otherwise, Legislators will have to change our law again in just three months. Why waste valuable resources before they know how the Supreme Court will rule?

INDUSTRY RECRUITMENT CONTINUES TO RISE. Foreign investors have confirmed that the immigration law has NO IMPACT on choosing Alabama as a place to locate.

UNEMPLOYMENT IS DOWN. Alabama's unemployment rate improved from being the 42nd worst in the nation to being 28th since the law has been in effect. There has been a drop of 3% in unemployment in Marshall County.

If your legislator is standing strong on HB56 and has agreed to make NO CHANGES until after the U.S. Supreme Court rules, give him/her a pat on the back. If he/she has gone wobbly, let them know how you feel. 80% of Alabama voters support this law.

Please contact your Legislators and ask them to make NO changes to Alabama's law until the U.S. Supreme Court rules! Otherwise, they will (1) waste valuable resources if they have to change it again, and (2) risk HB56 being drastically weakened.

Phone: Senate -- 334/242-7800; House -- 334/242-7600

SOURCE Alabama Federation of Republican Women