Kay Ivey demands answers on migrants flown to states
Kay Ivey has joined a group of twenty-four additional Republican governors who want to know how many illegal foreign nationals have been flown into their states by a Biden-Harris administration plan they argue is burdening their residents and creating an unsafe environment. Those being flown in have arrived through more than a dozen parole programs created by U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The governors only inquired about one: the CHNV parole program, created to fast track previously inadmissible citizens of Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela moving into the country. According to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, 530,000 CHNV parolees were released into the country in the past year, in addition to 813,000 foreign nationals processed into the country from all over the world through a CBP One app. Attorneys general from multiple states sued to stop them, arguing they are illegal. The U.S. House impeached Mayorkas for them and other actions they argue created the border crisis. The 1.3 million inadmissables released into the country are among nearly 14 million illegal border crossers reported since fiscal 2021, the greatest number under any administration in U.S. history. In a letter to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the 25 governors described how the CHNV parole program negatively impacted their communities and expressed bewilderment over no communication provided about their “arrival times, duration of residency, legal status, and location.” The influx and lack of communication “has created considerable confusion and alarm among local officials and the general public. In the absence of direction from DHS, law enforcement and municipal leaders have often been left to rely upon news reports and social media posts to determine size and location of incoming migrant populations in order to assess what impact they may have on already limited government services including local public schools,” they said. “The apparent dumping of migrants into our cities and small towns with no advance notice has not only sowed mistrust and fear among the public, but it has also placed the migrants themselves at potential of physical harm. After being met with understandable skepticism from the communities in which they are now living, migrants have become fearful to interact with the public. This isolation has created a ripe environment for their exploitation and abuse.” The governors requested the information they said to best protect illegal foreign nationals who might be targeted for abuse by cartel operatives or are already victims of human smuggling and trafficking, and to protect their citizens. “Without information about the migrants’ sponsors or the location and employment status of migrants, state and local law enforcement are extremely limited in their abilities to investigate potential exploitation of migrants and the possibility of their victimization from human trafficking,” they said. “As chief executives of our states directly responsible for the safety of our citizens and those who reside within our borders,” they said, they are demanding “a full accounting from the Biden-Harris Administration and DHS.” They requested information about the location of each parolee in their state, the vetting process conducted for each parolee, the name and location for each sponsor granted guardianship of parolees, and the system in place to monitor them. The request came after the DHS Office of Inspector General issued multiple reports detailing the administration’s repeated failure to vet them and inability to monitor them after their release. The OIG also expressed alarm that federal agencies were flying illegal foreign nationals on domestic flights who hadn’t been properly vetted and have no identification. It also came after U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, demanded answers about how many were being flown and housed in airports, raising concerns about terrorist threats. An unknown number of illegal foreign nationals arriving in their states “potentially in need of state and local services” was done “without our consent, any advance notice or resources,” the governors said. “Accordingly, we request your administration furnish our states complete information about the location and status of migrants being directed to our communities.” Those demanding answers, including Kay Ivey were Mike Dunleavy (AK), Sarah Sanders (AR), Ron DeSantis (FL), Brian Kemp (GA), Brad Little (ID), Eric Holcomb (IN), Kim Reynolds (IA), Jeff Landry (LA), Tate Reeves (MS), Mike Parson (MO), Greg Gianforte (MT), Jim Pillen (NE), Joe Lombardo (NV), Chris Sununu (NH), Doug Burgum (ND), Kevin Stitt (OK), Henry McMaster (SC), Kristi Noem (SD), Bill Lee (TN), Greg Abbott (TX), Spencer Cox (UT), Glenn Youngkin (VA), Jim Justice (WV), and Mark Gordon (WY). Republished with permission from The Center Square.
Pay Now Make Excuses Later: New Hoover Policy to disregard Council votes described by Attorney Phillip Corley
Last Monday, Councilman Derek Murphy took a moment to address an issue that city council President John Lyda and Mayor Frank Brocato have ignored for months. The problem, which Alabama Today first brought to light on July 22, 2024, centers around who is responsible for the legal fees associated with the Certificate of Need the city sought. According to the city attorney Phillip Corley, at his sole discretion, the city ordinance that passed and was signed “is not binding.” Hoover businesses and residents are responsible for the bills despite the signed contract and signed ordinance that says otherwise. The City of Hoover’s zoning procedures in Section’s 8 or 12 do not appear to have language to support Corely’s assertation that such a costly financial declaration in the PUD is non-binding and the city has not attempted to clarify his comments. On September 16th the Hoover Sun reported, “The Hoover City Council on Monday night amended the city’s 2024 budget to allocate an additional $381,251 for legal fees related to the project. The city’s initial budget for legal fees for that project was $150,000, but once the project was contested and the city had to have a three-week hearing with an administrative law judge in May and June, the council added another $500,000 to cover legal bills. With Monday’s action by the council, the total approved budget for legal costs is $1,035,251.” That $1,035,251 in costs will seemingly be paid for without any additional questions based on last weeks exchange. Murphy asked Phillip Corley for the city’s lawyers to “do a deep dive to explain what occurred with that…and it relates to the legal fees and who is responsible for that.” Corley explained that despite the fact the PUD ordinance was brought before the council during a work session with the language that reflected the developer footing the cost, then again at a council meeting where it was passed and was later signed, there was “some confusion” because the language did not reflect the unwritten and secret “intent” of those involved. The City of Hoover passed Ordinance 23-2634, “2023 Amendment to the Riverchase Planned Unit Development Regulations and Conditional Use Application,” dated August 14, 2023. The document is 419 pages long. “2023 Amendment to the Riverchase Planned Unit Development Regulations and Conditional Use Application,” dated August 14, 2023. The document is 419 pages long. The document is signed on page 20, “In witness thereof, this Rriverwalk Planned Unit Development Zoning application and development plan and amendment to the Riverchase planned unit development regulations has been executed as of the day and year first above written by the parties hereto: Alabama Today has reviewed a copy of the signed ordinance: Adopted and approved on the 20th day of 2023 by John B. Lyda, Council President; Approved by Frank V. Brocato, Mayor; and Attested By Wendy Dickerson, City Clerk. Other signatures include the property owner Regions Bank. The developer Healthcare Resources L.L.C signed by Robert A. Simon, Manager and the signature on behalf of SB DEV Corp. signed by Jonathan Belcher, President. To date, Councilman John Lyda has deferred the council’s responsibility to correct the million-dollar mistake, instead allowing Corley to unilaterally decide that the intent of some of those involved was more important than the words of the document the council passed. One has to wonder how many resolutions or ordinances could be challenged based on the newly revealed “oopsie, we didn’t mean to pass what that document said; that wasn’t the intent” defense. In the meantime, residents of Hoover still have 1,035,251 reasons to call their city councilor and the mayor to ask them to bring the issue up for another vote. Is Hoover opening itself up to be developers free for all for unscrupulous parties costing taxpayers millions? Only time and/or Phillip Corley will tell you.
