ALBERTVILLE, Ala. – Community leaders and Hispanic activists from the Southeast and Arizona began a three-day meeting Thursday in Alabama to help organize that state’s immigrant community and begin a push to overturn its tough, new illegal immigration law.
About 30 advocates, most from the Southeast, will work with more than 35 activists and leaders from around Alabama during sessions that focus on coping with provisions of the new law and calming fears over its toughest sections. Leaders hope to form local groups that will serve as support organizations for immigrants statewide, bringing them together and keeping them informed about the law and any changes to it.
But opponents of the law said they are not stopping there.
“A big part of it is to launch a campaign of repeal,” said Victor Spezzini, the lead community organizer with the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama.
A Democratic legislator already has said he will introduce a bill to repeal the law passed by the Republican-controlled legislature, which is being challenged in federal court by the Obama administration, private groups and individuals. Republican backers say they will fight any attempt to gut the law when lawmakers return to session next year.