Illegal immigration, procedures for arrest, detention, transportation of illegal immigrants provided for; reporting requirements established
HB13 creates a new Article 2 in Chapter 13 of Title 31 of the Alabama Code, titled the “Laken Riley Act,” and expands state and local authority to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. It authorizes state and local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with federal agencies such as the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and other federal entities to enforce immigration and customs laws, investigate immigration status, and detain, remove, transport, or arrest individuals identified as illegal aliens when authorized by federal law.
The bill also establishes detailed jail procedures for identifying and processing foreign nationals and suspected illegal aliens in county and municipal jails. Jail staff must make reasonable efforts to determine lawful status, contact the Law Enforcement Support Center or ICE when documentation is lacking, maintain records of communications, and in certain circumstances honor ICE detainer requests. It further requires quarterly reporting by jails on bookings, immigration-status inquiries, detainers, and related compliance information, with annual posting of those reports by the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency. The act is scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2026.
HB13 would significantly expand and codify state and local participation in federal immigration enforcement, while also creating new operational duties for county and municipal jails and their staff. It adds statutory procedures for status verification, detention, transport, booking, and reporting, and it directs agencies to preserve and share immigration-status information for public safety purposes to the extent allowed by federal law. The bill also provides immunity protections for officers and public employees acting in good faith under federal immigration agreements, and it preserves constitutional rights under the Alabama and U.S. Constitutions.
The available voting history suggests strong support for the bill in the House. It passed the House of Origin 78-0 and later passed a third-reading motion 74-1, indicating broad bipartisan or near-unanimous approval at that stage. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded debate to show detailed support or opposition arguments, but the vote totals indicate the bill was generally well received.
The main points of contention inherent in the bill concern immigration enforcement authority, detention practices, and local compliance burdens. Supporters appear to favor stronger cooperation with federal authorities, mandatory detainer compliance in certain circumstances, and expanded arrest and transport authority for illegal aliens. Potential concerns for opponents or critics include civil liberties and due process issues, the scope of local law enforcement involvement in federal immigration matters, the requirement that jails hold individuals based on detainers or immigration-related verification, and the administrative and reporting burdens placed on county and municipal jails.