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ACLU looking into A'ville’s plans with Kobach
Published July 17, 2010
The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama has requested numerous documents from city officials concerning immigration attorney Kris Kobach.
“Kris Kobach has been involved with anti-immigrant ordinances throughout the country,” Allison Neal, legal director of the ACLU of Alabama, said.
Albertville’s flirtation with retaining Kobach to help tackle the city’s illegal immigration problem sparked the ACLU’s inquiry.
According to Neal, the ACLU believes the city of Albertville retained Kobach’s services; however, the council defeated a resolution to hire Kobach by a 3-2 vote during a meeting in March.
“The city has not hired Kris Kobach,” City Clerk and Treasurer Phylis Webb said. “We have not retained any other legal services except for our city attorney Jimmy Carnes.”
Councilman Chuck Ellis, who spearheaded the unapproved Kris Kobach Authorization Resolution, said the city would comply with the ACLU’s request.
The letter asks for 13 types of documents concerning Kobach, including those that reflect communications with him, all documents describing the proposed or actual terms of employment of Kobach, documents that describe the purpose of Kobach’s employment, along with other ordinances dealing with illegal immigrants.
“They just want to exercise the people’s right to know what is going on in public meetings,” Ellis said. “We are more than willing to let them know what is going on.”
According to Neal, the ACLU has not received a response from the city as of Wednesday.
“It’s a scare tactic,” Ellis said referring to the letter. “Making people think they are about to sue, but why would they sue? We haven’t done anything. We can’t govern afraid, in fear, because if we do fear rules us. We have got to be diligent in our thoughts and do what is right. If we do that we have nothing to worry about.”
Ellis said this is not the first time a city has been questioned by the ACLU.
“We have got to move on as a city because if we don’t, they win,” Ellis said. “We’ve done nothing wrong.”
Albertville Mayor Lindsey Lyons had some strong words about the ACLU.
“Yeah, as far as I’m concerned they need to put a U in front of that A, for UnAmerican Civil Liberties Union.
“And here is why. When you have any organization, where one of their concerns is to protect, or try to protect, individuals that don’t have a constitutional right to be in our country and they are here illegally, it makes me laugh.
“No it doesn’t. The whole group makes me laugh.
“They need to find real world issues to get involved with instead of trying to hamper local, state or federal governments when all we are trying to do is protect our citizens and our constitution,” Lyons said.
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