Conclusion

Reports have shown that over the first few months of 2012, many immigrants who left Alabama due to H.B. 56 have since returned. Families like Ana's that have kids in school are reluctant to move due to the roots that they have put down in the state. Many immigrants have expressed to me that Alabama is their home and they want to ride out the legal battle over H.B. 56 to see if some reprieve from this harsh law will arrive. As one immigrant who attended this year's Selma march stated, All I've tried to do is work hard and raise my family to love America and Alabama. And this law hurts me to my soul.

The debate over immigration will rage on in each state, on the campaign trail, and in the courtroom. In the meantime, the most vulnerable victims are the children whose education has become disjointed and wracked with distractions. Many states have avoided immigration laws aimed at education to distance themselves from the example set by Alabama. The state already ranks as one of the least educated in the nation. The solution is not to turn and blame immigrants for its problems but to ensure that Alabama remains a sweet home for immigrants and for everyone.

. Jeremy B. Love has worked as the legal services director at the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama. Love returned to private practice in 2012 and formed The Love Law Firm, LLC, where he focuses his practice on immigration.