The Laken Riley Act is a proposed bill aimed at strengthening the enforcement of federal immigration laws in Alabama by allowing state and local law enforcement agencies to collaborate with federal entities like the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. The bill introduces new legal language by designating Sections 31-13-1 through 31-13-35 as Article 1 and adding Article 2, starting with Section 31-13-50, to Chapter 13 of Title 31 of the Code of Alabama 1975. Key provisions include establishing procedures for the arrest, detention, and transportation of illegal aliens, as well as requiring county and municipal jails to comply with immigration detainer requests under specific conditions. The bill mandates that jails make reasonable efforts to ascertain the lawful status of individuals in custody and allows for the detention of illegal aliens only when a valid immigration warrant is present.

Additionally, the bill requires jails to inform inmates subject to immigration detainer requests about their status unless they can prove U.S. citizenship. It outlines reporting requirements for jails, which must prepare quarterly reports on the number of inmates booked, foreign national inmates, inquiries regarding immigration status, and issued immigration detainers. These reports are to be made publicly available on jail websites and submitted annually to the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency. The act clarifies that it does not violate rights established by the Alabama or U.S. Constitutions and is set to take effect on June 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 31-13-50, 31-13-1, 31-13-35
Engrossed: 31-13-50, 31-13-1, 31-13-35