Alabama Reacts to New Obama Immigration Policy
Alabama Reacts to New Obama Immigration Policy
When President Obama announced last week that hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children can now obtain work permits and be safe from deportation, immigrants across the country celebrated. In Alabama, home to the nation’s toughest illegal immigration law, the new policy opens doors for many young people, but doesn’t answer all the questions, as Tanya Ott reports.
A mile down a dirt road – dotted with mobile homes, dogs chained in the front yards – there’s a small immaculately kept yellow house. Inside, a family whose life has been turned upside down in the last week.
The window AC unit drones. The lights are dim. An effort to keep the house cool in the Alabama summer. But you can’t help thinking it’s also an effort to keep a low profile. Afterall, the Doroteo family has been in hiding for the 13 years since they slipped across the border from Mexico. Carlos was 11 at the time.
“We paid somebody for bring us in here across the river. You feel afraid. Anything go wrong you could of drown and being so young you don’t know how to swim”
Doroteo also didn’t know he’d be illegal in the U-S. Still, he thrived in Alabama. He learned English and was a high school football star. But when he graduated it all came to a halt.
“Since I don’t have a social security card or ID, stuff like that, I’ve been doing construction work since I graduated.”
Last week, a cop pulled Doroteo over for a traffic violation. When he couldn’t show a drivers’ license, Doroteo was arrested. He was terrified he’d be deported.
“Most of my life I’ve been over here. It would have been real bad for me because wouldn’t know what to do or what to expect once I get over there.”
He was released with a warning after four days.
Then, President Obama made the announcement. The new immigration policy applies to people who are under 30 years old, arrived in the U-S before they turned 16 and have lived here at least 5 years. They must have no criminal record and either be in school, a high school graduate or serving in the military.
Mary Bauer of the Southern Poverty Law Center says it’s an important step, but a small step because it doesn’t provide a permanent solution.
“Living here in Alabama it doesn’t provide a full measure of protection from our anti-immigrant law, so people are still theoretically subject to being arrested or detained under Alabama’s law.”
State Senator Scott Beason sponsored that law. He worries about how the new federal policy will affect Alabama’s law. He also believes the new federal policy will be hard to enforce.
“How do you decide were they really brought here when they were six or were they 17? How old are they really? I really think the purpose is to begin to have amnesty across the board.”
Full amnesty would be fine with Carlos Doroteo. But he’s not dreaming that big right now. He just wants a job that’s not as back breaking as construction so he can build a better life for himself and his family.
Canadian prime minister says U.S. trade talks resume after Canada rescinded tech tax
President Trump said Friday that he was suspending trade talks with Canada over its plans to continue with its tax on technology firms, which he called "a direct and blatant attack on our country."
‘Heinous direct assault’ on firefighters kills at least 2 in north Idaho
Authorities said a fire was reported Sunday afternoon in Coeur d'Alene and that firefighters began taking gunfire shortly after. It's unclear how many suspects were involved. No one is in custody.
Marchers cap Pride Month with celebration and protest
In New York City, large throngs of people celebrated as the parade went down Fifth Avenue to downtown. Many of them also demonstrated against President Trump's policies targeting transgender people.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis will not seek reelection next year after Trump attacks
Tillis was one of only two Senate Republicans, along with Rand Paul, Ky., who voted against a motion to start debate on Republicans' massive tax and spending bill.
U.N. nuclear watchdog says Iran could enrich uranium again in ‘a matter of months’
Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told CBS that Iran had a "a very vast ambitious" nuclear program.
Alone in Tehran, a young Iranian turns to ChatGPT and video games for comfort
A young shop manager living alone in Iran's capital was panicking during the war with Israel. Her family wasn't nearby. Her therapist had fled. So she turned to an AI chat bot.
