An Alabama House committee approved legislation making it more difficult for immigrants without legal status to be granted bail if they are charged with committing a violent crime.
House Bill 348, sponsored by Rep. Chad Robertson, R-Heflin, would require people without legal status to face a pretrial detention hearing before being granted bail and be denied bail “if no amount of bail would reasonably assure the defendant’s appearance in court or protect the safety of the community.”
The bill requires courts to presume that immigrants without legal status are a flight risk, increasing the likelihood of bail denials.
Robertson reiterated the provisions of the legislation in his introduction to the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday but did not discuss the legislation at length.
The legislation adds more restrictions for people to be granted bail based solely on their immigration status on top of what is already in statute.