Northport Lawmaker Files Bill To Establish Penalties For Undocumented Immigrants With Guns

NORTHPORT, AL — State Rep. Ron Bolton, a Republican from Northport, pre-filed a bill on Monday that, if passed, would make it a felony for undocumented immigrants to possess a firearm, while also updating certain provisions in the law.

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According to House Bill 64, those in violation of the proposed statute would be charged with a Class C felony. Those found guilty of a Class C felony in Alabama can be sentenced to a minimum of a year in prison and up to 10 years behind bars, with fines up to $15,000.

“This addition to 13A-11-72 just seeks to add persons in the country illegally to the persons forbidden to legally possess a firearm," Bolton told Patch. "This is already in federal law and this will simply allow law enforcement to handle these violations through state court rather than federal court. The rest of the changes are just edits to clean up the language of the section.”

Bolton's bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee after its first reading Tuesday on the House floor.

At the federal level, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) says legal immigrants are not prohibited from purchasing firearms unless the individual is admitted into the country under a nonimmigrant visa and does not meet one of the exceptions, such as possession of a valid hunting license or permit.

Indeed, as explained by Bolton, federal law prohibits undocumented immigrants from purchasing or possessing firearms, which also carries a felony charge and a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

The 2023 regular session of the Alabama Legislature began on Tuesday.

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