Anniston Star (Editorial): At last, a smattering of Alabama Republicans who rushed the illegal-immigration law through the state Legislature have reached a realization.
They’ve noticed — as have others — that in the cobbled-together collection of measures designed to discourage undocumented immigrants from coming (or staying) here were requirements and regulations that burden all manner of Alabamians.
“Nobody intended to create problems for American citizens,” charitably observed Larry Dixon, executive director of the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners. His agency staffers are among those finding themselves faced with additional paperwork and license-renewal difficulties.
Well, intended or not, a law that was written to drive the estimated 120,000 illegal immigrants from the state — roughly 2.3 percent of our population, according to reliable estimates — has created all sorts of problems for most Alabamians.
So, GOP leaders are going to change the law.
Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville, is working on amendments that will remove the requirement that proof of legal residence or citizenship will be necessary for every transaction with state or local government. Long lines at courthouses around the state testify to the problems this has created.
Dial also favors removing the language that potentially criminalizes giving charitable aid to the undocumented, something that churches have rallied against.
And he thinks the requirement that educators verify the immigration status of students “was one of the worst things that was put in the bill.” “Teachers and educators,” he added, “have enough to contend with today.”
Let’s not forget the approximately 2,200 Hispanic children who did not return to class after a judge upheld this part of the law.
Dial added that if the bill had not come at the end of the previous session, and if legislators had had more time to study it, the law would not have passed — at least not in this form. But it did.
According to the Center for American Progress, Alabama lost more than $130 million in taxes in 2010 that undocumented workers paid. How will these changes in the law make this up?
While politicians talk jobs, jobs, jobs, the state’s economy will contract by nearly $40 million if only 10,000 undocumented workers leave because of the bill. How will changes now help Alabama recover that revenue? (Don’t say unemployed Alabamians will take these jobs, because they won’t, as the latest edition of Bloomberg Businessweek makes clear.)
How will these changes help farmers whose crops were not harvested because there was no labor, or help the family that has to pay more at the grocery?
And will these changes assure China’s Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group that Alabama is not a hostile environment and that it should go ahead with the $100 million plant for south Alabama? Rival states that hope to lure the industry are using this illegal-immigration law to their advantage. Will these changes undermine that strategy?
Unfortunately, what Dial supports will not be enough. Making the law less of a burden on Alabamians can’t make up for the damage done to the state’s economy and reputation. The best thing the GOP can do is admit it was a bad idea, apologize for problems the law caused and repeal it. Anything less will do little to undo the real damage.
They’ve noticed — as have others — that in the cobbled-together collection of measures designed to discourage undocumented immigrants from coming (or staying) here were requirements and regulations that burden all manner of Alabamians.
“Nobody intended to create problems for American citizens,” charitably observed Larry Dixon, executive director of the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners. His agency staffers are among those finding themselves faced with additional paperwork and license-renewal difficulties.
Well, intended or not, a law that was written to drive the estimated 120,000 illegal immigrants from the state — roughly 2.3 percent of our population, according to reliable estimates — has created all sorts of problems for most Alabamians.
So, GOP leaders are going to change the law.
Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville, is working on amendments that will remove the requirement that proof of legal residence or citizenship will be necessary for every transaction with state or local government. Long lines at courthouses around the state testify to the problems this has created.
Dial also favors removing the language that potentially criminalizes giving charitable aid to the undocumented, something that churches have rallied against.
And he thinks the requirement that educators verify the immigration status of students “was one of the worst things that was put in the bill.” “Teachers and educators,” he added, “have enough to contend with today.”
Let’s not forget the approximately 2,200 Hispanic children who did not return to class after a judge upheld this part of the law.
Dial added that if the bill had not come at the end of the previous session, and if legislators had had more time to study it, the law would not have passed — at least not in this form. But it did.
According to the Center for American Progress, Alabama lost more than $130 million in taxes in 2010 that undocumented workers paid. How will these changes in the law make this up?
While politicians talk jobs, jobs, jobs, the state’s economy will contract by nearly $40 million if only 10,000 undocumented workers leave because of the bill. How will changes now help Alabama recover that revenue? (Don’t say unemployed Alabamians will take these jobs, because they won’t, as the latest edition of Bloomberg Businessweek makes clear.)
How will these changes help farmers whose crops were not harvested because there was no labor, or help the family that has to pay more at the grocery?
And will these changes assure China’s Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group that Alabama is not a hostile environment and that it should go ahead with the $100 million plant for south Alabama? Rival states that hope to lure the industry are using this illegal-immigration law to their advantage. Will these changes undermine that strategy?
Unfortunately, what Dial supports will not be enough. Making the law less of a burden on Alabamians can’t make up for the damage done to the state’s economy and reputation. The best thing the GOP can do is admit it was a bad idea, apologize for problems the law caused and repeal it. Anything less will do little to undo the real damage.
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