You're watching...
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach on the impact of Alabama’s anti-illegal immigration law.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
West Commission on Civil Rights held its first hearing on Alabama's laws targeting illegal immigration.
Our next -- Appeared before the panel that met today in Birmingham he argued the State's law is not discriminatory and he pointed out.
That it's helped reduce spoke crime and unemployment in the state joining us is Chris go back.
The Kansas secretary of state co author of numerous anti illegal immigration state laws.
Including -- of Alabama.
Great to have you here Chris and and how would you characterize.
The both.
The accomplishment the conclusion.
Today's meeting.
Well there -- a lot of facts put on the table and it's a pretty dramatic and and pretty positive outlook for the state of Alabama.
For example in the nine months after the law was signed into.
The Bill -- the law.
Unemployment Alabama went from nine point 3% to seven point 5%.
Dropping almost two full points.
Meanwhile the whole US economy if you look at the nation as a whole only dropped zero point 7%.
Area Alabama's now one of those states that has lower than average unemployment.
And people credited to the law in the law -- illegal aliens to leave the state US citizens came forward roughly 42000.
Alabama means came off the unemployment roll.
Unemployment rolls and and crime in certain categories is down.
It's been -- real success story -- interestingly some of the opponents of immigration enforcement tried to -- protest they want these facts out on the table.
But that the facts are powerful ones -- protest.
Why -- how could they possibly change.
You the moment the testimony before the commission.
Well they they were trying to shout down some of the speakers and interrupt the proceedings.
All of -- -- part of modern life of America -- -- the especially you do with issues.
Is controversial was illegal immigration.
But let's return to a couple things -- we've also seen a commensurate decline.
In welfare -- Rawls what.
The state level federal level.
Jobless claims.
What is what has been the impact there.
We have seen the decline in jobless claims in states like.
Arizona and Alabama and other states that have.
-- -- vigorously tried to reinforce the rule of law.
I'm in terms of welfare in terms of other welfare programs we should be seeing that because part of these laws both in Arizona and Alabama -- about a dozen states.
Is a provision saying no more taxpayer benefits from a public benefits to illegal aliens.
And so it's a little harder to measure those decreases.
And and figure out how many of how much of the decrease in welfare outflow is due to fewer illegal aliens in the state.
The Justice Department mission very clear to the state of Alabama is concerned about.
Illegal immigrants the children of illegal immigrants in our public schools -- what has been the impact there as well.
Well contrary to the claims of us some of the people on the open -- in the open borders crowd.
That somehow this would -- you know shut down the school systems -- or you know be denying people the right to an education hasn't.
Alabama's been simply collecting statistics and and getting a better grasp on how much of taxpayer dollars are going to finance illegal immigration.
And you also appeared Wenzhou for the Court of Appeals.
-- -- Trying to resurrect -- hazel from.
2002006.
Laws.
When will we ever ruling do you expect from back.
It's hard to predict when a Court of Appeals is -- issue a ruling I would expect maybe sometime in the next twelve to fifteen months.
I wish the wheels.
Ask your question urban trash yeah credit -- If you're -- and attorneys the distinguished student of the laws what was practitioner.
And office.
Why in the hell should American citizens -- up reports taking that long to rule on anything short of -- say.
-- -- government would say rocket surgery.
I mean this is knots.
Well I have to be careful since I'm an attorney argues -- reports that it got a -- how is your partner I mean you know what it's about time of the legal profession get honest in it is disgusting what we're watching.
-- -- but I think cellular -- I'm talking about.
Whether it's a criminal trial a civil trial and this country's walking along as a nation of sheet.
It's no problem for a civil trial the last five years or criminal trial two to three years.
I mean the madness of of all is overwhelming.
Business the economy our society it is destructive.
And no one has the guts and your profession to talk about.
Well I think some -- an -- to be fair some of our courts are really overloaded some of the circuits don't have enough I don't wanna briefly -- I wanna be right.
And I'd like to know where that efficient port is because I -- -- hold it up as a model for the country because frankly Chris I couldn't pointed out.
Well you know there are a few circuits like what brought the fourth circuit but they were gonna take that -- circuit that your model.
And we're gonna fall in eight days out to -- like I must do a lot of practice of the fourth -- gross throwback.
But they're nickname is the -- -- nicknames the rocket docket effect gives you any impression -- out of Israel impression of hyperbole -- -- -- circuits special microscope back we appreciate right up next.
