Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Alabama Governor Fires Back Over Immigration Law

Details

  • Description

    Robert Bentley on New York Times op-ed, controversial legislation

  • Duration 5:33
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

New -- in the wake of Alabama's passage of a tough new immigration law the New York Times writing in an editorial two days ago quote.

Alabama is far from alone in passing a law whose express aim is misery and panic.

States are expanding their power to hasten racial exclusion and family disintegration.

To make a particular group of -- people disappear.

The new laws come cloaked in talk of law and order the bigotry -- -- -- is never acknowledged.

Robert Bentley is the governor of Alabama and is here with some thoughts on that now governor thank you very much welcome to the program.

We appreciate you being here and the New York Times was rather harsh -- -- you -- state and this law.

Your thoughts -- sponsor.

Well I can be rather harsh on the New York Times also.

Because what they say is absolutely not true.

You know this is a totally different issue that what happened in fifty to sixty years ago in the state of Alabama and all over this country.

You know we.

We've come a long way in Alabama and I'm very proud of our state and how far we've come with -- racial diversity in the state of Alabama.

And I just -- that this is totally unfair this characterization.

They don't know Alabama and they don't know what's in our hearts.

They say it's obvious that quote racism is driving the law.

And -- any thoughts of that -- Well.

Well racism is not driving this law.

You know we need to enforce the laws of this country that's that's the problem.

The federal government is not enforcing the laws of this country and and that's -- states are having to do other having to do right now.

Not only Alabama but they've been six or seven states that have had to do this and they'll be other states also.

All we're trying to do is ask the federal government to do their job and -- they'll do their job they can set a policy and and we'll go by that policy.

We're just asking them to do something and they're just not doing what they're supposed to do.

One of the items that they took issue with with respect to the lies that they suggested that Alabama utilities are cutting off service.

To illegal.

Immigrants in our our brain room here at Fox News governor suggests that that is true that there's Decatur utilities.

At least is prohibiting illegal immigrants from attaining electric gas water and sewer service.

According to an official there.

Because of that portion of the law.

That that does not allow the illegal aliens to make contracts with the state is that troops there.

I don't know I don't know that I have not heard that and you have to.

To enter into a contract in the state of Alabama you have to be a legal citizen that's part of the law.

And -- you know what I have to do is governors I have to enforce the laws of the state.

They also talk about the fact that one of the sponsors of the law this senator state senator Scott Beason called black people in Alabama quote.

Aborigines.

And that does is it did the times uses this to suggest that those who are behind this law harbor some sort of racial animus here.

I against illegal aliens against Latinos and Hispanics would you like to respond.

Well act I cannot defend that statement I don't try to defend other people's statements.

But -- you know.

I want to people to know that this is this law is not racist it is not in any way racially motivated.

All we're asking the federal government to do is enforce the laws and and we're going -- bed in the state of Alabama.

-- state senator later did come out and apologize for that for that comment.

I I want to ask you about President Obama because he gave an interview to that the the nation's largest Spanish language daily newspaper.

And he talked about this -- he said it is one of the provisions.

That's been put on hold thanks to the courts but it required schools to check the immigration status of students it wasn't going it doesn't require them to deny.

Schooling to illegal immigrants they're not allowed to do that but it was just gonna check the illegal or legal status and the president said quote the idea that we have children afraid to go to school.

Because they feel afraid that there immigration status will lead to being detained.

It's wrong and he went out and said that the law is not just anti immigrant but I believe it doesn't match are essential values as a country.

Your thoughts governor.

Well I think fit that part of the law is something that we certainly need to look at and I'm not.

I'm not condone in that particular part of the law.

And and there are some parts of the law that we're going to look at I'm not saying that anything is going to be changed.

But do we are going to try to simplify the law and it would go look at it is as time goes all.

For those who are so critical of including President Obama.

What message do you have when it comes to the issue of illegal immigration and the state of Alabama.

I just would ask the president.

And congress to do their job.

If they will do their job and -- set forth a reasonable policy for immigration in this country.

That's all we're asking them to do if they will do that that we won't have any need in Alabama.

To have any type of law like this.

Governor -- thank you so much for being here.

Thank you pick your -- But taking your thoughts on -- Kelly a foxnews.com.

Load More