From Presente.org

The most draconian anti-immigration law in the country is going into effect in Alabama right now, and what is happening as a result will horrify you.

There are reports circulating on blogs that people must show a valid Alabama ID to get water service to their homes, that many are too scared to leave their homes to buy groceries for fear of being targeted, and of neighbors turning on each other and calling the authorities to check the immigration status of people living next door.¹ The law is also compounding the economic crisis in Alabama, which has a deep farming economy. Migrant workers are afraid to go to work—so there are millions of dollars of produce that is rotting in the fields as a result.²

And since this law targets immigrant children and parents explicitly, the day after its implementation 2,000 children or 5% of Latino children in the Alabama school system did not go to school.³

Right now the media is not covering this unfolding humanitarian crisis so it’s hard to give a full sense of the outrage that is happening in Alabama. That’s why we sent members of our team down there to help document the abuses so that we can raise the alarm about what’s happening all over the country.

In the meantime, it is vital that we all speak out against what’s happening there—keeping kids out of school and forcing whole communities to live in fear is simply inhumane. Will you sign on to condemn Alabama and pledge to stop this sort of hate from spreading to your state?

Click here to condemn Alabama for crossing the line and pledge to stand against laws anti-immigrant laws.

There is currently a legal battle being waged over the Alabama law. The Department of Justice along with religious groups and human rights groups in Alabama have tried to prevent it from going into effect. Unfortunately, a U.S. district court judge refused to block some of the worst provisions, like the requirement that public schools check the immigration status of children. There is an appeal underway that will hopefully block these horrible provisions but in the meantime we need to stand up and make our voices heard.

We’ll be in touch this soon with more updates. Until then please sign the pledge and ask everyone you know to do the same.

We need to tell Alabama that they’ve crossed the line. Click here to add your name and tell your friends and family to join you.

Thanks and ¡adelante!

Felipe, Favianna, Kyle, Laurie, Roberto, Carlos and the rest of the Presente.org team

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References:

1. “Alabama Immigration Law: Show Citizenship or Lose Clean Water Supply”, Asheley Portero; Oct 10, 2011; International Business Times; http://tinyurl.com/3s3x4e3

2.“Alabama Harvest the bitter Fruit of Its Harsh Immigration Laws: Tomatoes Dying on the Vine”; David Neiwert; Oct 6,2011; http://tinyurl.com/67gzz5h

3.“De Leon: Alabama’s Immigration Law Fails Our Future”; Erwin de Leon; Oct 11, 2011; http://tinyurl.com/3kdxn7l