MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey signed two significant bills into law on Monday, aimed at enhancing Alabama’s efforts to address illegal immigration and prevent noncitizen voting. Senate Bill 158 and Senate Bill 63 are designed to close loopholes in existing laws and give law enforcement additional tools to protect public safety and election integrity.
“Alabama is taking steps to protect our communities from impacts on public safety and the integrity of our elections,” Governor Ivey said. “These bills will do just that by closing a loophole in state law concerning voter ID while also further enhancing law enforcement’s ability to effectively identify illegal immigrants with criminal records.”
Senate Bill 158, introduced by Senator Will Barfoot, prohibits the use of foreign national driver licenses as valid photo identification for voting in Alabama. Previously, Alabama law did not specifically exclude these licenses from being used in voting, leading to concerns over voter integrity.
Senate Bill 63, introduced by Senator Lance Bell, mandates that law enforcement collect and submit fingerprints and DNA samples from illegal immigrants already in custody. The goal is to expedite the biometric data collection process, ensuring more efficient identification and tracking of individuals with criminal records.
Both bills passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, signaling a united effort to strengthen the state’s immigration and voting laws.
