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Protest Today in AL: Alabama's Conscience to Block Legislators to Pass H.B. 56 "Tweak" Bill

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Today marks the last day of the current Alabama legislative session, where state senators will take one last stab at passing another ill-conceived anti-immigrant bill. As legislators consider another “tweak” bill today, their efforts will be blocked by individuals who plan to fall to their knees, praying, singing, and vowing to stop any unjust anti-immigrant bill the Legislature may try to pass.

Rev. Angie Wright, a spokesperson for Alabama’s Conscience, which organized the peaceful protest, said:  “Alabama Legislators have defied all measures of justice and humanity by allowing their values and consciences to be hijacked by Scott Beason and his vigilante-style law-making.”

Members of the group noted that non-compliance with the law is already widespread.  For example, only 7% of businesses have complied with the required to enroll in the E-Verify system.

The protest in Alabama today will be live-streamed.  You can watch it here once it starts:

The group also issued a proclamation:

We are compelled by faith and values to defy HB 56, an unjust law that brings undeserved hardship and heartache to good, hard-working people of Alabama.  An injustice to one is an injustice to all.  We urge all Alabamians to render this law null and void, by continuing to offer aid and transport to those in need, and jobs with living wages to law-abiding residents who will work and pay taxes to support their families and communities.  We urge law enforcement to focus their resources on fighting real crime and arresting real criminals.  We urge school officials to refuse to intimidate children and their parents so that they can go to school unimpeded.  If the Legislature will not act to end the suffering caused by this unjust law, it is in the power of the people and institutions of our State to do so.

H.B. 56, the infamous anti-immigrant law that has been in place since last fall, has wreaked so much damage across the state—both socially and economically—and lawmakers’ proposed solutions have failed to address the concerns of families, faith leaders, farmers, farmworkers, teachers, students, business owners, employees, and law enforcement officers.