Immigration law brings long lines to tag offices

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - The state of Alabama has extended the deadline for some people to renew their car registration. Implementation of the state's new immigration law has led to long lines at some tag offices.

People who were supposed to renew their tags in September will now have until October 20 to get it done.

This comes with new regulations requiring out-of-state license carriers to show proof of their citizenship with a passport or birth certificate when applying for or renewing their license.

"The biggest challenge for us is the 41,000 out of state licenses that we have and tags where were having to ask them to prove their citizenship because we can't use their drivers license." said Baldwin County Probate Judge Tim Russell.

For Amber Toptin, renewing her tag has not been an easy process.

“I'm afraid to go to school on Friday because I don't want to drive through Bay Minette and have someone pull me over and give me a ticket for having an expired tag,” she said.

“If they don't have something they need, we're going to help them out by giving them a temporary tag to at least get those things in order before their tag runs out,” explained license revenue officer Melissa King.

Toptin co-signed her title with her mother, but the probate office will not take her mother's birth certificate to renew the tag.

“The lady told me she could not take it because the name on the receipt for the tag was different from what she had on her birth certificate,” said Topkin.

Toptin said she can get a Alabama license or take her mother off the title.

Others said they don’t mind the extra steps because they support the immigration law.