FAIRHOPE — Attorney General Steve Marshall was in Baldwin County Monday for a town hall meeting on Title IX and immigration.
The Baldwin County Mamas for Liberty Chapter hosted the event at First Fairhope Baptist Church.
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) and state Rep. Susan DuBose (R-Hoover) also participated in the discussion and answered questions from the audience of about 200 people.
Photo: Erica Thomas.
Title IX City Hall
The state of Alabama has filed a lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s Title IX rules that expand the meaning of “sex” to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
Marshall said groups like Moms for Liberty and the Alliance Defending Freedom are litigation partners that allow states to define public policy regarding Title IX.
“What I can tell you is that you don’t always get all 26 colleagues to come together on an issue,” Marshall said. “As it relates to Title IX, this is one of them, and we have to commend not only the 26 Republican attorneys general who fought back and won every case.”
“…Every time we go before a judge, the last court that can decide this issue, has said the Biden administration has gone too far,” he added. “This depends on whether Alabama, as an independent sovereign state, can define public policy for its own state.”
Mr. Dubose discussed three bills he plans to introduce in the next Congress.
The first part of the law would define “male” and “female” by biological definitions under state law.
“We all know that sex is determined at birth, and that is determined by God,” Dubose said. “It’s actually determined at the time of conception, so you can’t change your gender. You can choose to identify however you like, but it doesn’t change your gender.”
DuBose said the bill has 90% support among Republicans and Democrats.
The second bill aims to protect “women’s spaces” such as dorm rooms, juvenile detention centers, women’s prisons, rape crisis centers, overnight camps and educational programs.
The third bill would raise the age of medical majority, the age at which individuals can make independent medical decisions, from 14 to 18.
Moore, who introduced legislation to abolish the U.S. Department of Education in 2023 and provide education funding directly to states, said some federal education programs often run counter to the needs and desires of states. That’s why he believes local leaders and school board members need decision-making power.
“So, very often, bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., say, this bureaucrat might be from California, or he might be from Massachusetts, or he might be from any great blue state, and they’re the ones who are better than the kids. “We often think we know more than we know ourselves,” he said. “Again, that’s why we need to decentralize education.”
immigration city hall
Angelo Fermo, a former special agent with the Department of Homeland Security, joined the panel to discuss illegal immigration. Fermo said immigration policy requires checks and balances. This lack of testing is leading to an influx of illegal immigrants, he said.
Angelo Fermo speaks to the crowd about immigration policy. Photo: Erica Thomas.
Fermo explained that this influx has strengthened control by Mexican cartels and increased criminal activities such as drug and human trafficking.
At the state level, Fermo said lawmakers should focus on the driver’s license system and strengthen laws to ensure that only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can obtain driver’s licenses in Alabama. He said the same should apply to car tags.
“The men and women of ICE Border Patrol are aggressive, and if they are allowed to do their job, they will go out there and do their job,” Fermo said. “They can have a huge impact on our communities. Again, we want criminal immigrants, immigrants who come here to commit violence.”
Marshall said problems at the border are frustrating for law enforcement. He reminded the audience that the Biden administration immediately repealed President Donald Trump’s policy of deporting dangerous criminals.
“The Trump administration said, ‘If you’re in this country, ultimately, if you’re convicted of child harm and end up spending time in prison, we’re going to deport you. ‘It’s over,’ he said. “Isn’t it crazy? No, it absolutely makes sense, and yet this administration, with one stroke of the pen, said, ‘That’s not going to be the philosophy of this country.’
Mr. Marshall also expressed frustration with the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) program, which brings hundreds of thousands of immigrants to the United States and provides individuals with housing, jobs, and community integration. He said he was sure there would be a sponsor who would help. However, he claimed that some of those “sponsors” did not exist.
“Who sponsors people to get them through the parole program?” Marshall asked. “Because clearly they’re not living up to their stated role. And by the way, there’s zero liability on the part of the federal government for not doing what they promised in writing.”
“But I say this is an area of frustration, but I believe we have the ability to fundamentally change immigration and policy in this country within 20 days,” he added.
Marshall said things will change if Trump is elected.
Moore agreed, saying that Biden’s policies have allowed 380 people on terrorist watch lists to enter the United States, and that mass deportation is the only way to solve the problem. But that could be met with unimaginable opposition, he said.
“When President Trump starts deporting these people, which he said he would do from day one, everyone get ready,” Moore said. “Because you say, ‘It’s okay now, I’m with you, but you guys are going to lose your mind.’ They call him every name in the book. They’re going to come after us in a way that you don’t understand, but we need it to solve the problem. ”
On the education side, Marshall said the increasing number of English language learning (ELL) students is putting a strain on schools.
“There’s no question that there’s a huge strain on resources as a result of what’s going on,” Marshall said.
He said federal law protects all children seeking an education. Marshall said the answer is a change in federal immigration policy.
Moore, who supports Haitian schools, said the large influx of immigrants is bringing about a cultural shift and there is still time to vote for strong leadership in Washington.
“Trust your instincts on this one,” he said. “But we cannot allow things like this to happen. I don’t blame the school board. I don’t blame the teachers. I don’t blame the church. I don’t blame the EMTs. I don’t blame the community. I don’t blame society. We have to deal with this.”
“I blame the federal government,” Moore said. “This is our responsibility, this administration’s responsibility. We’re going to figure it out in 20 days, but then the pain starts. Then things start and we have to do it, guys. You. Please pray for the nation. “
To contact the author of this article or comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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