Immigrants threatened with separation from their kids
Latino families fearing arrest under Draconian new immigration law start to draw up legal documents for care of children. People are scared, and they want to be sure their kids are safe if something happens to them.
Parents who entered the United States illegally so fear for their future in Alabama that many are drawing up legal custody papers in case they have to leave their children behind following deportation.
Among the legal issues parents are scrambling to try to plan for: who will care for their children in case of an unwanted family separation, and who will care for homes they may have bought, the advocacy group Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama said. The Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama helps Spanish-speaking immigrants with paperwork.
Already, almost 2,300 children have been taken out of Alabama schools by families fearful that the new law will force teachers to enquire about the kids' immigration status as well as that of their parents. In an elementary school in Crossville, Alabama, enrolment is about 65% Hispanic.
A federal appeals court last week blocked provisions in the nation's toughest immigration law that required schools to check whether students were in the United States legally or not, and required immigrants to carry an alien registration card.
The most graphic illustration yet of the draconian new immigration law coming into effect in the state. Under section 30 of the new law, HB56, anyone who lacks proper immigration papers is deemed to be committing a crime if they try to enter into a "business transaction" with the "state or a political subdivision of the state. People see the new law as denying the most basic facilities to people, and that It's designed to make life so miserable that people self-deport. The Montgomery Water Works and Sanitary Sewer Board is also understood to have made moves to oblige water customers to prove their legal immigration status.
In addition to section 30, with its prohibition on undocumented people from entering into "business transactions", the newly effective provisions include a requirement on Alabama police officers to investigate the immigration status of anybody they have stopped for traffic violations or other infringements wherever the officers have a "reasonable suspicion" that the individuals might be illegally present in the state.
Latino families fearing arrest under Draconian new immigration law start to draw up legal documents for care of children. People are scared, and they want to be sure their kids are safe if something happens to them.
Parents who entered the United States illegally so fear for their future in Alabama that many are drawing up legal custody papers in case they have to leave their children behind following deportation.
Among the legal issues parents are scrambling to try to plan for: who will care for their children in case of an unwanted family separation, and who will care for homes they may have bought, the advocacy group Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama said. The Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama helps Spanish-speaking immigrants with paperwork.
Already, almost 2,300 children have been taken out of Alabama schools by families fearful that the new law will force teachers to enquire about the kids' immigration status as well as that of their parents. In an elementary school in Crossville, Alabama, enrolment is about 65% Hispanic.
A federal appeals court last week blocked provisions in the nation's toughest immigration law that required schools to check whether students were in the United States legally or not, and required immigrants to carry an alien registration card.
The most graphic illustration yet of the draconian new immigration law coming into effect in the state. Under section 30 of the new law, HB56, anyone who lacks proper immigration papers is deemed to be committing a crime if they try to enter into a "business transaction" with the "state or a political subdivision of the state. People see the new law as denying the most basic facilities to people, and that It's designed to make life so miserable that people self-deport. The Montgomery Water Works and Sanitary Sewer Board is also understood to have made moves to oblige water customers to prove their legal immigration status.
In addition to section 30, with its prohibition on undocumented people from entering into "business transactions", the newly effective provisions include a requirement on Alabama police officers to investigate the immigration status of anybody they have stopped for traffic violations or other infringements wherever the officers have a "reasonable suspicion" that the individuals might be illegally present in the state.
However, people are still hoping, with efforts done allover. Speaking on October 23, 2011 in Birmingham, Rep. Luis Gutierrez tells crowd of effort to get deportations under Alabama suspended. He said he hopes the Department of Homeland Security acts quickly on his request to suspend the deportation of immigrants picked up by Alabama authorities until a federal challenge to the state's new law is resolved.
At a recent neighborhood meeting in Birmingham, Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell said the harsh anti-immigrant law promoted and signed by Gov. Robert Bentley is embarrassing Alabama in the eyes of the nation.
While President Obama promised immigration reform before being elected, the irony of deporting more immigrants than the past administration becomes really alarming. The Obama administration on Friday filed a challenge to the law, asking an appeals court to block enforcement of the controversial measure. The law is “highly likely to expose persons lawfully in the United States, including schoolchildren, to new difficulties in routine dealings,” the request said.
Immigrants are afraid to go back to Mexico because of the drugs, the cartels and the killings,” Gonzalez said. And are afraid to stay here because of the law. "This is a real human rights crisis," said Linton Joaquin of the National Immigration Law Center. "There's widespread panic, and though parents don't want to abandon their children they are seeking guardianships for them."District Judge Sharon Blackburn had however ruled in September that parts of the legislation were in conflict with federal law, and she blocked them, including the requirement for schools to verify students’ immigration status and for police to determine citizenship and status people stopped, detained or arrested.
Nationwide, there are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, most of them from Latin America and the largest group from neighboring Mexico.
Now the question is: Was anti immigrant laws without a cost?. In Georgia and Alabama, a shortage of workers has appeared in key sectors including agriculture as immigrants head for the borders.
At a recent neighborhood meeting in Birmingham, Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell said the harsh anti-immigrant law promoted and signed by Gov. Robert Bentley is embarrassing Alabama in the eyes of the nation.
While President Obama promised immigration reform before being elected, the irony of deporting more immigrants than the past administration becomes really alarming. The Obama administration on Friday filed a challenge to the law, asking an appeals court to block enforcement of the controversial measure. The law is “highly likely to expose persons lawfully in the United States, including schoolchildren, to new difficulties in routine dealings,” the request said.
Immigrants are afraid to go back to Mexico because of the drugs, the cartels and the killings,” Gonzalez said. And are afraid to stay here because of the law. "This is a real human rights crisis," said Linton Joaquin of the National Immigration Law Center. "There's widespread panic, and though parents don't want to abandon their children they are seeking guardianships for them."District Judge Sharon Blackburn had however ruled in September that parts of the legislation were in conflict with federal law, and she blocked them, including the requirement for schools to verify students’ immigration status and for police to determine citizenship and status people stopped, detained or arrested.
Nationwide, there are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, most of them from Latin America and the largest group from neighboring Mexico.
Now the question is: Was anti immigrant laws without a cost?. In Georgia and Alabama, a shortage of workers has appeared in key sectors including agriculture as immigrants head for the borders.
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