Immigration

This bill requires money transmission businesses in Alabama to report large or suspicious cash transactions to the state Securities Commission and imposes a 1.5% fee on outgoing international wire transfers. The collected fees would be placed in a state fund and distributed to local sheriffs to help cover immigration law enforcement costs, while taxpayers who pay these fees would receive an income tax credit to offset the charges. The legislation also establishes criminal and civil penalties for businesses that fail to comply with reporting requirements and creates a study commission to monitor how the fee proceeds are used. These provisions would remain in effect until December 31, 2030, when they are scheduled to be repealed.

SB 45 requires individuals applying for certain driver licenses in Alabama to present documentation proving lawful presence in the United States. This affects applicants seeking specific license classes under Section 32-6-18 of the Alabama Code of 1975. The bill revises licensing rules to invalidate licenses issued without this proof of lawful presence. The measure is currently pending committee review in the Alabama Senate.

HB 348 requires that individuals in Alabama who are undocumented (defined as "illegal aliens" under state law) and charged with violent offenses be held in custody without bail until a court conducts a pretrial hearing. At this hearing, the court must deny bail if no amount would reasonably ensure the defendant’s court appearance or protect public safety, and the bill establishes a legal presumption that undocumented immigrants are inherently likely to flee, which courts must give significant weight. The court must consider factors like the crime’s severity, community danger, and the defendant’s background, but the presumption of flight risk based solely on immigration status is a key factor. This law applies to all undocumented individuals charged with violent offenses as defined by Alabama law and takes effect on October 1, 2026.

HB 13, titled the "Laken Riley Act," establishes procedures for Alabama state and local law enforcement to interact with federal immigration authorities. It allows officers to arrest individuals based on immigration status or federal immigration violations, requires jails to honor federal immigration detainer requests, and mandates quarterly reporting on foreign nationals held in county/municipal jails. The bill also creates standardized intake and booking processes for undocumented individuals and permits law enforcement to transport them to federal custody. These provisions directly affect law enforcement agencies, county jails, and individuals in Alabama without legal immigration status.