Enforcement of immigration law halted in revenue offices (Alabama)

[struggle4progress]

Source: Cullman Times


December 2, 2011
By Benjamin Bullard

CULLMAN — The Cullman County revenue office, along with revenue offices statewide, is in a race to implement a series of recent reversals in immigration verification policy mandated by the state's top revenue officer.

After consulting with attorney general Luther Strange, Alabama’s revenue commissioner halted enforcement of Alabama's controversial immigration law in all of the state's revenue offices, removing local officials' power to determine whether applicants for vehicle tags and similar privileges are in the state illegally.

Alabama Department of Revenue commissioner Julie Magee issued a series of memoranda to revenue commissioners, probate judges and others charged with enforcing tax collection in all of Alabama's 67 counties calling for an immediate halt to the recently-implemented policy of verifying an alien's legal status when conducting transactions with the public.

"An alien may be denied the right to proceed with a business transaction with the State or a political subdivision only on the basis of a federal determination that the alien is unlawfully present," the memo ordered. "If you <state agent> are unable to verify that an alien is unlawfully present in the United States through a determination by the SAVE Program or by other verification with the United States Department of Homeland Security, then you should allow the alien to conduct the requested business transaction with your office" ...

Read more: http://www.cullmantimes.com/local/x910012522/Enforcement-of-immigration-law-halted-in-revenue-offices

[alp227]

1. Target the employers instead!

And once again, why won't Congress DO SOMETHING about those illegal immigrants such as the DREAM Act and pathway to citizenship and immediate deportation/conviction of illegal immigrants who commit other crimes in the US?

[lib2DaBone]

2. Maybe someone will sue the shit out of Alabam State Officials.....

[atreides1]

3. Typical

They pass a law without even thinking about how it'll affect things, all because they wanted everyone to know that they are proud of their white hoods...and now reality is coming back to bite them in the ass.

[LizW]

4. Knew this wouldn't last long

I stood in line at the courthouse for car tags for five hours in October. Alabamians can't renew car tags online anymore because you have to show your physical proof of citizenship. People who stood in line with me all those hours got turned away for various reasons: one man because he was trying to buy a tag for his elderly dad's car, but his mom's name was also on the car title. She had passed away, so of course her drivers' license was no longer valid. They would not take his word for it, he had to leave and go get a copy of the death certificate and come back another day. Another guy got turned away because his son's name was on the title, and his son was in school in Texas and had his driver's license with him.

It is unbelievably inconvenient and is wasting tons of time and effort. I figured after a couple of months the people having to implement this ridiculous law would get something done about it. I just had the unlucky October renewal date.