Alabama HB 56 Protest

This past Saturday, at Kelly Ingram park in Birmingham, Alabama, people gathered in protest to HB 56,  a copy cat of the Arizona immigration law.         

       

 Actually HB 56 wishes to one up the Arizona bill.

(Lifted right of the GOP site)

 What does this bill do?

• Requires law enforcement officers to attempt to determine the immigration status of a person who they suspect is an unauthorized alien of this country. Determination is affirmed through valid state or federally-issued identification.
• Provides that illegal aliens convicted of a crime are to be fined and turned over to federal immigration authorities upon their release from imprisonment.
• Makes trespassing by illegal aliens a Class A misdemeanor, which becomes a Class C felony if the subject is found in possession of contraband or a deadly weapon.
  • Class A misdemeanors carry a penalty of up to one year in jail, and a fine of up to $6,000.
  • Class C felonies carry a penalty of 1-10 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
• Makes the smuggling of illegal immigrants a Class B felony, and authorizes law enforcement officers to stop drivers suspected of such activity.
  • Class B felonies carry a penalty of 2-20 years in prison and a fine of up to $30,000.
• Prohibits the pick-up and transport of unauthorized aliens to work sites (Class A misdemeanor).
• Prohibits unauthorized aliens from applying for, soliciting for in a public place or performing work as an employee or contractor (Class A misdemeanor)
• Prohibits the transport, concealment, harboring and housing of unauthorized aliens if a person recklessly disregards the fact that the alien is illegally in the U.S. This does not apply to persons acting in the capacity of a child or adult protective service worker, a first responder, an ambulance attendant, or an emergency medical attendant.
• Prohibits a business from knowingly employing an unauthorized alien.
  • Employers proven to violate this prohibition are subject to probation on the first offense, and revocation of state and local business licenses upon repeat offenses.
  • Knowingly filing a false or frivolous accusation against a business would be a Class C misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of three months in jail, and a fine of up to $500.
• Requires employers to verify the legal status of potential employees with either the federal “E-verify” program or a system to be designed by Alabama Department of Homeland Security.
• Makes registering to vote or attempting to vote by an unauthorized alien a Class C felony.
• Requires those applying for and receiving public benefits to provide proof of legal presence in the U.S.
• Makes entering or attempting to enter into a business transaction with the state by an unauthorized alien a Class C felony.
• Makes knowingly manufacturing, reproducing or selling of false identification documents, or committing vital records identity fraud, a Class C felony.
• Provides that verification of lawful presence for state-distributed public benefits, including Medicaid and CHIP, shall be made through a verification program operated by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.
• Requires State government entities providing state or local public benefits to submit annual compliance reports to the Senate Government Affairs Committee and the House Government Operations Committee.
• Authorizes the Alabama Department of Homeland Security to enforce these immigration laws, and promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of this act.

 

 

I only caught part of this event, and left before it was getting dark, but from what I saw the turn out was typical of  what a protest in Birmingham produces these days. I saw maybe between 50 and 100 folks (dont quote me on that) But I can say for sure that the crowd regardless of the size was a health mix of folks of race, sex, and I guess religion and class as well.



Brave students, undocumented and unafraid, stood before the crowd and spoke about their experiences growing up and their feelings towards the bill that threatens to send them away from the future they dream of. "Card carrying" Americans spoke out against the injustice that is inherent within HB 56, how it is criminalizing acts of humane kindness and selfless sacrifice, how it wishes to return us to some rotten roots of a racist past that we have been trying to put behind us. These kids, they're just kids, too often children get blamed for the nearsightedness of elders, and all they want to do is live, be happy. its not political its life.

          

The final speech was given by David Gespass, president of the National Lawyers Guild. Mr Gespass Always delivers a good fiery speech, enough humor to keep you interested, damning enough to keep you riled up, and uplifting enough to keep you marching on. I had to leave as he was wrapping up.

                            

All in all the message was clear, No one is illegal, there is no such thing. There are only people, some want to live in peace and others want to live off the well-being of others. Some put their lives on the line for their loved ones and others just pay to put people in the way. Resistance is alive and well here in Birmingham and we arnt going anywhere. The old southern gentry can just wither up and die in the humid Alabama heat.