The Birmingham Area Consortium for Higher Education (BACHE) will sponsor a public forum on HB 56, also known as the Hammon-Beason Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, on February 9 and 10 on the campuses of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Samford University. The two-day event will include speakers and panelists who are experts on immigration policy, constitutional rights, law enforcement, public health, education, demography, economics, and more.  Our goal is to provide comprehensive coverage of immigration policy at the federal, state, and local levels and to present information on the ways HB 56 has impacted social life in Alabama.

The forum will open with presentations and a panel discussion featuring Daniel Stein, President of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and Mary Giovagnoli, Director of the Immigration Policy Center (IPC).  Other confirmed speakers include Samuel Addy, Director of the UA Center for Business and Economic Analysis, Heidi Beirich, Director of Research at the Southern Poverty Law Center, Pia Orrenius, Senior Economist at the Dallas Federal Reserve, and many others.  A complete list of confirmed speakers and panelists can be found here.

In addition to the daytime sessions, independent filmmakers Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini will give a special presentation the evening of February 9 on the making of Twelve Stories: HOW DEMOCRACY WORKS NOW.  This twelve-part HBO documentary chronicles the US Congress’ recent efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

The event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, February 9, 2012, at UAB (Jemison Concert Hall at Alys Stephens Center)

Friday, February 10, 2012, at Samford University (Brock Forum in Dwight Beeson Hall)