Legislation has been pre-filed for the 2025 legislative session in Alabama that aims to enhance penalties for undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes in the state. House Bill 3, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, would increase penalties for undocumented immigrants charged with felonies and misdemeanors. Brown stated that he was motivated to introduce the bill due to frustrations with the lack of enforcement of immigration laws at the national level and the crimes being committed by illegal aliens in Alabama and across the country.
A similar law was recently enacted in Florida, and Brown expected opposition from groups like the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center. However, the ACLU has not taken a position on the bill, and efforts to reach SPLC for comment were unsuccessful. Another bill, House Bill 7, sponsored by Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, would provide guidelines for state and local law enforcement to partner with federal agencies for enforcing immigration laws. The bill is named the Laken Riley Act in memory of a 22-year-old college student allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant on the University of Georgia’s campus.
The 2025 legislative session is set to begin in February, and these bills will be among the many proposals discussed by lawmakers. Supporters of the legislation believe it is necessary to address the issue of undocumented immigrants committing crimes in the state, while opponents may argue that the bills unfairly target a specific group of people.
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