HB302 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ben Robbins Representative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Workforce; regulating staffing and hiring of aliens with temporary or asylum status in the state

Description

Under existing federal immigration law, foreign workers may be lawfully present in the U.S. without a visa, either under a parole program or due to asylum status. Workers may be recruited in their home country or elsewhere in the U.S. by a labor broker for placement in a job in the State of Alabama. By law, an alien in a parole program must also have a sponsor who provides help with income and basic needs, including, but not limited to, housing.

This bill requires labor brokers that recruit a certain number of foreign workers for employment in the State of Alabama to register with the Department of Workforce. Labor brokers may be required to use E-Verify to confirm that foreign workers are authorized to work. Labor brokers and nonprofit organizations must also inform the department if they directly sponsor a foreign worker or identify individuals or organizations they may be using to act as sponsors.

The Secretary of Workforce is authorized to impose administrative fines for failure to register and comply with the reporting requirements. The Secretary of Workforce may also investigate labor brokers and HB302 INTRODUCED nonprofit organizations for certain violations, which may carry a civil penalty or a criminal liability.

In addition, the Secretary of Workforce or the Attorney General may refer a company acting as a labor broker or nonprofit organization to the Secretary of State to terminate authorization to do business in the state.

This bill further requires a lawful alien who applies for public benefits to disclose the identity of a sponsor as part of the application. A sponsor would be liable to a department or agency for public assistance that is granted to a lawful alien in place of support the sponsor promised but did not provide.

The Attorney General is authorized to pursue recovery of the benefit against the sponsor in a civil action.

If the sponsor is also a labor broker or nonprofit organization, the Attorney General is also authorized to seek revocation of any permits or licenses to do business for a period of time.

This bill further requires employers to share the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services number of a foreign worker who they hire with the Department of Workforce.

Under this bill, a business entity would also forfeit any tax incentives for employing unauthorized aliens.

HB302 INTRODUCED.

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Subjects

Immigration