Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative national advocacy group, has come out against bills in the Alabama Legislature that would increase fees on international wire transfers in order to assist localities with an influx of immigration. The group’s president, Grover Norquist, wrote a letter expressing opposition to House Bills 192 and 297, stating that the fees would have negative consequences on legal residents.
HB192, sponsored by Rep. Mark Shirey, would impose a 2% fee on outgoing international wire transfers to fund English Language Learner instructors, while HB297, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Fidler, would impose a 4% fee split between law enforcement and ELL instruction. Both bills would allow legal residents to recoup up to $5,000 through an annual tax credit.
Shirey has decided to support Fidler’s bill instead of advancing his own, acknowledging concerns raised by Norquist. The bills are part of a larger effort by state lawmakers to address illegal immigration, aligning with President Trump’s focus on the issue.
Americans for Tax Reform argued that the proposed fees would discourage legal residents from making international wire transfers and could lead to black-market arrangements. The group emphasized the importance of reducing taxes and combating illegal immigration, but cautioned against using the state tax code as a tool to address these issues.
Norquist’s letter to Alabama leaders highlighted the importance of avoiding new taxes while pursuing income tax rate reduction and other pro-growth reforms. The group’s influence within the Republican Party was evident, with a majority of Republicans in Congress having signed their Taxpayer Protection Pledge, including Alabama’s GOP delegation. Governor Kay Ivey has also signed the pledge.
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