Petição dirigida a: Alabama Legislature

To: The Sponsors of HB13 and the Alabama Legislature
Re: Opposition to HB13 and its expansion of immigration-enforcement powers:

We, the undersigned Alabama residents and stakeholders, oppose HB13 in its current form. The bill would authorize state and local law enforcement to collaborate with federal agencies to enforce federal immigration laws, detain, remove, or investigate individuals based on immigration status, and allow arrests with probable cause or reasonable suspicion under such arrangements. This expansion risks civil liberties, erodes public trust, and diverts limited resources from core public safety duties.

Why HB13 should not be enacted:

Civil liberties and trust: Expanding immigration enforcement by local officers threatens constitutional rights and undermines trust in police, particularly in immigrant communities.

Public safety: Fear of policing based on immigration status may deter crime reporting and cooperation with investigations.

Fiscal and practical burden: Implementing federal–state collaborations requires new training, oversight, and administrative costs. Our local law enforcement agencies are stretched thin. Local officers need to focus on local crime and safety issues; they should not be focused on federal immigration enforcement. This bill weakens their ability to respond to the needs of the communities they serve.

Legal, jurisdictional and accountability concerns: Greater exposure to civil rights lawsuits and unclear accountability for local agencies. Creating parallel immigration enforcement by state/local officers can complicate and undermine the coordination of federal immigration policy

What we urge:

Do not pass HB13 in its current form.

Do not permit state/local officers, under MOUs with federal agencies, to inquire about immigration status beyond established criminal enforcement or to conduct immigration investigations without explicit, narrow limits and strong due-process protections.

If any inquiry is allowed, ensure it is restricted to specific criminal investigations, with guaranteed rights to counsel, and independent oversight to prevent profiling or civil rights violations.

Thank you for considering the public safety and civil liberties of all Alabama residents.