(Alabama) Senate passes immigration reform different from House

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Source: Montgomery Advertiser

The Alabama Senate passed a bill intended to crack down on illegal immigration on Thurs­day, but the version is different from one passed earlier by the House of Representatives. The Senate passed the bill 26-6 after contentious debate that included some critical words between Republicans. Even among Republicans there are strong disagreements about how to handle the issue of illegal immigration.

Some Democrats express­ed concerns about racial pro­filing. "You are going to be out here profiling people. All of us are immigrants in this country," said Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro.

Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, voted against the bill and expressed con­cern about putting the state in a situation where it has to fight legal challenges, which he said is not fiscally responsible. He considered the passage a "major PR move" with Re­publicans trying to please their base.

Ross and Singleton joined fellow Democrats Priscilla Dunn, Linda Coleman, and Billy Beasley in voting against it. Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, was the only Re­publican to vote against it.

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