State: Jail not required for those who can’t prove citizenship

MONTGOMERY, Al.
State officials are telling local courts they don’t have to jail people who can’t prove their citizenship with a driver’s license under Alabama’s new immigration law.

The Administrative Office of Courts has issued a memo to local court magistrates statewide. It says magistrates can release people on bond while authorities are verifying whether they are U.S. citizens. All the person has to do to be freed is sign his or her name.
The head of the state police chiefs association, Terry Davis of Boaz, on Tuesday said the advice should ease some fears of jails filling up because of the law.
Citing a federal court ruling, the state said the law doesn’t specifically require people to be jailed if they don’t have a license. However, it also said that opinion could change.