With no clear front-runner in next month's presidential election, State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) is contemplating the possibility of a President-elect Kamala Harris in November.
If Harris wins, Elliott said Gov. Kay Ivey will need to call a special session for the legislature to take immediate action on immigration.
The Baldwin County lawmaker, fresh off a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, told Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5's "The Jeff Poor Show" that a "slew" of bills will be needed to prepare Alabama for the continuation of immigration policy that has existed under President Joe Biden.
"I'll tell you one thing, though, if we end up in a situation where Kamala Harris gets elected president, we're going to need to have a special session on immigration," he said. "And that's going to need to happen in November, in my opinion. I think we need, if she gets elected president, we need to get moving quickly on a special session to deal with this illegal immigration because it's not going to get any better."
Last week, Elliott suggested that given changes in the federal courts under former President Donald Trump, it was time to revisit the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act (HB 56).
"We're talking a slew of six, eight, 10 different pieces of legislation that have broad support in both the House and the Senate to get ahead of some of the continued missteps of the Biden-Harris administration on immigration policy," Elliott added. "And listen, I hope it's all for naught. I hope we never have to be that. I hope President Trump gets elected here inside of a month, and I can spend November worried about Thanksgiving and traveling to in-laws. But if not, I'll be the first one saying, we need to get into a special session when you're ready to go.”
Jeff Poor is the editor in chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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