Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act

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The Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act is a 2011 Alabama law that is generally considered the strongest state legislation aimed at controlling illegal immigration into the United States.

The bill, dubbed "House Bill 56" or "HB56" was sponsored in the Alabama House of Representatives by twenty-five individual legislators. It was first read on March 1, 2011 and referred to the committees on Public Safety and Homeland Security. The house passed the bill on its third reading on April 5 by a 73-28 vote. It was read in the Alabama Senate on April 19. The bill was passed on May 5 by a vote of 23-11 and, after some motions were debated, enrolled on June 2 and send to Governor Robert Bentley the same day. He signed the bill on June 9, enacting it as the law of Alabama.

Content

The primary aim of the bill, as described in its introduction, is to "preclude any state or local government or official from refusing to enforce federal immigration laws" and to "prohibit an alien unlawfully present in the United States from receiving any state or local public benefits". It accomplishes that goal by creating a number of newly-defined crimes.

State and local officials, as well as private individuals and businesses, could be in violation of these laws if they fail to determine another party's federal immigration status before rendering public services or assistance, or engaging in business under the state's imprimatur.

In the area of law enforcement, the law requires state and local police officers to verify the immigration status of all those charged with crimes for which bail is required and grants broad powers to detain individuals whose status cannot be readily verified. It provides for the Alabama Department of Homeland Security to maintain its own state police and to maintain an online verification system for legal immigrants.

With regard to public benefits, the law requires public school districts to verify the immigration status of all enrolled students and to deny education to those without documentation. It requires poll workers, under a newly-created state election board, to determine valid citizenship of prospective voters.

With regard to private employment and contracts, the law prohibits private businesses from knowingly employing undocumented immigrant workers, and requires businesses who receive public incentives to verify their employees' immigration status. It prohibits "aliens not lawfully present" in the United States from entering into business transactions, housing leases, and other forms of contract (which would be rendered void under the provisions of the law). Private citizens can also be charged under the law of "concealing, harboring, shielding, or attempting to conceal, harbor, or shield unauthorized aliens".

Sponsors

External links

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