From the Newsleader.com:

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Authorities said Wednesday they dropped a charge against a German Mercedes-Benz executive who was arrested under Alabama’s new crackdown on illegal immigration after a police officer caught him driving without identification required by the law.

While Tuscaloosa police arrested the man last week for not having proper citizenship documents while driving a rental car in the city, city attorney Tim Nunnally said in an email the charge was dismissed after the man later provided the documents in municipal court.

Police identified the man as Detlev Hager, 46. The company said he was in Alabama on business at the time but declined further comment.

The arrest drew widespread attention because the German automaker is one of the state’s leading employers, and its decision to build its first U.S. assembly plant in Alabama in 1993 provided the spark that helped lead to the state’s large automotive industry, which includes foreign manufacturers Honda, Hyundai and Toyota.

Republicans who support the immigration law say it will help create jobs for legal Alabama residents by driving away illegal immigrants, but some business leaders and critics of the law contend similar arrests could hurt economic development in the state by making it a less-attractive location for foreign companies.

 

This certainly sounds like dumb and dumber.  In the heart of Dixie, a state with a horrible track record on race relations should be doing everything in its power to attract new business and to improve its image.  The area is ripe for attracting new business because it is a right to work state, as a fairly low tax base, and already has an automotive industry base.  So what clod decided to arrest one of the Mercedes Benz executives?  Did they think they had discovered some well- preserved old Nazi on the run from I.C.E.?  

 

 

14 Thoughts to “Alabama: The “Show Me Your Papers” State”

  1. Cargosquid

    No…they found an alien without proper identity as demanded by law. All resident aliens are required by FEDERAL law to have ID such as visa or passport on them. Just as we are when visiting other countries.

    Of course, they will now be sued by the federal gov’t wasting taxpayer money for enforcing a federal law…right? Because only the Feds are allowed to enforce federal law.

  2. We don’t know that he didn’t have a passport. I believe it takes more than a passport in Alabama to keep you out of the pokey.

    It seems like if Alabama wants to attract all the foreign auto business they need to relax a little bit and apply some common sense. Funny that the governor knew to spring him.

    I can’t wait for Holder to sue Alabama. They have thumbed their nose at Federal law long enough. States just can’t make up their own immigration laws.

  3. SlowpokeRodriguez

    Yeah, I can’t wait for Holder to sue Alabama, too. A little more proof that with the current administration, the guns are pointed inward! Sue away, Holder! Show the voters what the administration’s priorities really are!

  4. Cargosquid

    You mean…”What? We’re supplying guns to the cartels? I’m shocked! Shocked I tell you!” Holder?

    That Holder?

  5. Censored bybvbl

    It’s just like some Alabama yahoo to arrest a representative of a group bringing employment to his state!

  6. TWINAD

    Interviews with people (mostly gringos from what I’ve seen) from Alabama who DID support the law, but have now changed their mind are all over Univision and Telemundo. It’s killing them and they now know that. And for Slowpoke, the Obama Administration has deported more people EACH year over the last 2 1/2 years than entire previous admininistrations deported in their entire term. How do you say Obama hasn’t been tough? He was trying to appease people like you by deporting large numbers of primarily criminal illegal immigrants (remember, it is not a crime to be here illegally…it’s a civil offense) but that still isn’t good enough.

  7. marinm

    If nothing else it shows that enforcement is not aimed at my peoples but everyone.

    1. But actually, it really was aimed at your peeps. Some of us here resent that it is aimed at your peeps.

      The arrest really just gives folks a false sense of security….an illusion that is is for everyone.

      It probably didn’t do much to attract people to the car industry business either.

      I don’t really know what kind of documentation he was carrying around with him.

  8. SlowpokeRodriguez

    TWINAD :
    And for Slowpoke, the Obama Administration has deported more people EACH year over the last 2 1/2 years than entire previous admininistrations deported in their entire term. How do you say Obama hasn’t been tough? He was trying to appease people like you by deporting large numbers of primarily criminal illegal immigrants (remember, it is not a crime to be here illegally…it’s a civil offense) but that still isn’t good enough.

    You don’t get it. Deporting MILLIONS is just wasting money if they just turn around and walk back in, because the border is NOT safer than it’s ever been. People like me who want an actual solution to this problem (not just high deportation numbers) want the magnets taken away, we don’t want deportations, we want them to deport themselves. That’s the only way deportation sticks.

  9. TWINAD

    That makes no sense whatsoever. They aren’t deporting themselves back over the border…except to another state where they will be welcomed. Check out some of the stories out of Ohio where formerly run down small cities have been transformed by high numbers of new immigrants…from Latin American countries as well as Middle Eastern etc.

    I guess you just ignore the stories that border apprehensions are at record lows even though there is more manpower there than ever before? The longer the illegal immigrants are here, the more ties they are forming with family and as in past immigration waves, the children assimilate quickly. In 15-20 years, all the immigrants that have come in the past 25-30 years will be fully assimilated except for the color of their skin…and even then, in many places white skin will be the minority. To me, that is what scares the bejeezus out of people like Greg.

  10. SlowpokeRodriguez

    @TWINAD
    As I’m sure you ignore the stories about illegals going back to Mexico in large numbers because the employment situation is so much better south of the “border”.

  11. @Pokie
    Ahem, remember our little rule here about not using adjectives alone? Remember the modifier part of that? It’s just a pet peeve of Elena’s and mine.

    My question is this: just what would you do to make the border more secure? Please include ways to pay for it and how to erect fencing on private property.

    @Pokie

    @twinad, what is causing the border apprehensions to be at record lows? Is it our poor economy now, bad housing industry?

  12. TWINAD

    No, I hadn’t realized people were rushing back to Mexico for better jobs than can be had here in the States! I guess I wouldn’t consider that a good thing if that is the case. And I’m sorry I broke a rule, Moonhowler!

    Based on the people I know, I believe the low border apprehensions are a result of not only the economy here, but because the immigrants that did come during the boom time are still employed and able to assist family members still at home so there is no reason for them to come here…the job prospects for newer immigrants are much more scarce than they were 10 years ago at the height of the construction boom, but workers with 10-15 years experience are still working. I know I have cited here before about the sitation with my husband’s family. There are nine kids and the three middle children are the ones that are here. The older three still live in their native countries and have done okay for themselves…they were able to stay in school longer than the middle kids. The three middle ones came here, and by them coming here, they were able to pay for the younger three siblings to stay in school to graduate and two went to college. The middle three were all working in fields or in factories by the time they were 11 years old. They came here in their late teens to early 20’s and were able to send money home to keep their siblings in school and pay for food and housing for their parents and younger siblings. Now those younger siblings are in management positions in companies in their home countries and can fend for themselves and my husband is able to pay for his father’s medical care and their food/housing. That’s the scenario I’ve seen played out in the families of their friend’s and cousin’s too. The people that came when we needed the workers have stayed, but there hasn’t been a need for new workers to come and since there are family members here that can help out at home, it’s not necessary for survival for them to come here anymore.

    1. @Twinad, YOU didn’t break a rule, I don’t think. I directed that ‘illegals’rule at Pokie.

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