On May 18, Governor Robert Bentley signed HB 658 into law, despite expressing concerns about the amended version of the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act.
One dangerous new provision calls for an online public database listing names of all unauthorized immigrants who appear in state courts. The amendment violates their right to equal protection under the law and invites vigilantism, Human Rights Watch said.
Human Rights Watch renewed its call to the Alabama legislature and Governor Bentley to repeal the Beason-Hammon Act and the recent amendments to it.
Lawsuits challenging the Beason-Hammon Act, including the amended law, are pending in federal court. The US Supreme Court in April heard arguments in the US Justice Department lawsuit challenging Arizona’s immigrant law, SB 1070, which includes provisions similar to some provisions in Alabama’s law. The Supreme Court ruling is expected in June.
