Immigration
Alabama Immigration Law Settlement
Civil and immigration rights groups in Alabama are cheering after the state agreed Tuesday to settle three lawsuits challenging HB 56, the state's controversial illegal immigration law. The move caps two years of legal battles and comes after the U.S. Supreme Court denied Alabama's appeal to restore parts of the law.
August 17 Morning Newscast
Carol Garrison steps down as president of UAB; the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights holds a public hearing about crackdowns on illegal immigration in Alabama and other states.
What does the Arizona Ruling mean for Alabama?
While Arizona’s immigration law was the first to reach the U.S. Supreme Court, a similar but tougher law in Alabama faces its own legal challenge. That case has been on hold, pending a ruling on Arizona’s law. As WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports, the question now is -- what does Arizona mean for Alabama?
Coverage of Alabama’s Immigration Law HB56
Alabama's immigration law is grabbing headlines again following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on a similar law in Arizona. For more than a year, Alabama has been the center of change concerning immigrants living in the state. Alabama House Bill 56 (HB 56) was signed into law in June 2011. Based on bills passed in Arizona and Georgia, this anti-illegal immigration bill came into effect in late September 2011. Here is WBHM's coverage of the events surrounding the law.
A Challenge to Alabama’s Immigration Law
Opponents of Alabama's new immigration law spent Wednesday in federal court trying to convince a judge to block the measure from going into effect on September first. The legal showdown over what's been called the toughest crackdown on illegal immigration in the country pits the U.S. Justice Department, a coalition of civil rights groups and church leaders against attorneys for the state of Alabama. They argue there's no reason the law shouldn't take effect as planned. NPR National Correspondent Debbie Elliot is watching the action at the federal courthouse in Birmingham and spoke with WBHM's Andrew Yeager.
Alabama’s Immigration Bill
The Alabama House is set to take up bill today aimed at curbing illegal immigration. It's patterned after a similar law passed last year in Arizona and would punish individuals in Alabama without documentation for trespassing. That could mean jail, fines or being turned over to federal immigration authorities. WBHM's Andrew Yeager talks to some in the business community who are worried about what an Arizona-style law might mean for Alabama.
Marriage and Immigration
In Alabama, there's a new battle brewing in the immigration debate. Some counties have begun enforcing a decade-old law which requires a social security number before a marriage license can be issued. WBHM's Andrew Yeager reports.
