Montgomery, AL – A majority of Alabama voters want HB 56, Alabama’s infamous anti-immigrant law, to be altered, according to results of a recently-released poll. The poll, which was conducted by Anzalone Liszt Research, found that regardless of party affiliation, less than 20 percent of Alabamians feel comfortable allowing the law, which has made headlines for causing the arrest and detention of auto executives and others, to remain unchanged.
“As more and more Alabamians from all walks of life feel the impact of this harsh overreaching law, it’s clear that the legislature must repeal HB 56,” states Zayne Smith of the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice. “HB 56 has harmed our economy, threatens to interfere with our churches and has set Alabama’s pathway towards being a more racially tolerant state back many years. You can’t tweak hate, the only solution to get Alabama back on the right track is to repeal HB 56,” Smith continued.
Alabama’s HB 56 was signed into law by Governor Bentley in June 2011. The law was subject to lawsuits by a coalition of civil rights organizations, the federal government, and a group of churches. Although these groups requested that the courts block implementation of HB 56 pending a final ruling on the law’s constitutionality, a federal district court allowed major components of the law to go into effect. This action sparked a humanitarian crisis throughout the state, leading to widespread and irreparable civil and human rights violations.
Representatives of every sector of society have called for a full repeal of HB 56, arguing that the law has done far too much harm already to their state.
The Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice is a network of individuals and organizations which seek to provide a united voice dedicated to ensuring the social, legal and civic rights of all immigrants in Alabama. ACIJ’s members work to promote justice for all of Alabama’s immigrants. Please visit www.acij.net
