Hearing to discuss immigration law

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WALA) - A public hearing is underway in front of the Alabama Legislature's Senate Judiciary Committee and it deals with Alabama's tough illegal immigration law and possible revisions.

One group calls the law disastrous and says it’s opened up Alabama to costly lawsuits.

Polarizing subject

When it comes to immigration regulation, people either have strong feelings on the subject or are completely indifferent.

"I don't think anyone that is here illegally should be here. If federal government isn't going to do anything, then the state law has to because they are draining our resources," said Jeff Phillips.

The Alabama Coalition for Immigration Justice said it is "riddled with serious problems, It is not possible to cure the deficiencies in this disastrous law without thorough analysis."

One woman simply said, "I don't have an opinion."

Still, fallout continues. Some in the public arena have called for the law, which is one of the toughest in the nation, to be revised, amended or scrapped completely.

Hope for change

A public hearing is being held today to hear the pro's and con's of  House Bill 658, a tweak to the original immigration bill, H.B. 56.

Senator Ben Brooks said the public hearing will be helpful to gauge public opinion before casting a vote.

Brooks said the bill has a number of revision to the original law. He said it would enter people into a system to facilitate getting a license.

"[People] won't have to come every year thereafter with additional things like that to make it easier for government to operate and respect the needs of the public," Brooks said.

A speed bump to good?

Mobile County License Commissioner Kim Hastie said she hopes lawmakers will take their time before making another mandate.

Hastie recently received $150,000 from Mobile County Commissioners to help implement the immigration law's requirements in her department.

Brooks also spoke about the concerns from the religious sector, who fear the law cripples their work to do good.

He said he thinks the proposed changes to the bill would enable churches and religious and civic groups to "do their good deeds" more easily.

"Certainly, on a human level, we need to have compassion to the needs of other humans around us. Life can be difficult at times," said Brooks.