Immigration

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) will begin implementing the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act on Aug. 1, 2016.

This state law requires every person or sole proprietorship applying for certain licenses or permits to either demonstrate U.S. citizenship, or, if the person is an alien, to prove lawful presence in this country. ADPH will verify an applicant's immigration status or naturalized/derived citizenship using the federal government's Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program.

List of Licenses and Permits Requiring Declaration

To comply with this law, ADPH requires the following for an initial permit or renewal application:

• A signed Declaration of U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Presence of an Alien
• A legible photocopy or digital copy of a document demonstrating U.S. citizenship or lawful presence in the U.S.
• A business entity must provide a Declaration of Business Ownership Structure if the type of ownership or business entity is not clearly indicated on the application.

Permits and licenses affected include the following:

• Food and lodging, seafood, milk, body art, solid waste, septage, and lead permits (Bureau of Environmental Sciences)
• Emergency medical service personnel and medical provider licenses (Office of Emergency Medical Services)
• Radioactive material licenses (Office of Radiation Control)

ADPH will only verify the status of the individual who is licensed or permitted. Demonstration of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residence is only required one time.

Residents or businesses seeking permits or licenses in Mobile County should contact their local health department for specific information.