Montgomery, AL – On Monday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law two bills aimed at tightening restrictions related to noncitizen voting and enhancing law enforcement procedures involving undocumented immigrants.
Senate Bill 158, sponsored by Senator Will Barfoot, prohibits the use of foreign national driver licenses as valid photo identification for voting in Alabama. Prior to the bill’s passage, state law allowed various forms of photo ID for voting but did not explicitly exclude licenses issued by foreign governments. Supporters of the bill say the measure closes a loophole and helps protect the integrity of elections.
“Alabama is taking steps to protect our communities from impacts on public safety and the integrity of our elections,” Governor Ivey said in a statement. “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.”
Both bills passed the Alabama Legislature with bipartisan support, indicating broader legislative consensus on the measures. Proponents argue that the laws will enhance public safety and election security. Critics, however, have raised concerns in the past about potential civil liberties issues related to biometric data collection and the implications of voter ID restrictions.
With the new laws in place, Alabama joins a number of other states that have recently enacted legislation aimed at addressing issues related to immigration and election integrity.
