Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, is calling for expanded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Alabama, citing recent violent crimes committed by immigrants unlawfully in the country and pledging continued support for federal immigration enforcement.

In a news release, Marshall said recent arrests underscore what he described as a growing public safety threat tied to illegal immigration in the state. He pointed to the arrest of an undocumented immigrant accused of kidnapping a mother and her two children as well as a separate case in Elmore County involving an individual who had been deported six times and later attempted to kidnap a teenage girl.

“While radical leftist politicians in Washington spent yesterday attacking the brave men and women of ICE, an illegal criminal alien was arrested for kidnapping a mother and her two children. This heinous act was committed by someone who shouldn’t have even been in this country in the first place. Unfortunately, we continue to see this problem plague our state. Recently, an illegal immigrant deported six times attempted to kidnap a teenage girl in Elmore County,” Marshall said in the release.

“These aren't talking points. These are real crimes against real Alabamians. Alabama stands by our local law enforcement, and I would like to commend Sheriff Burch and his team for their tireless effort in working to keep Mobile safe. I also value the partnership among local, state and federal law enforcement. We have seen all over the state that these partnerships provide results that benefit everyone.”

Marshall blamed national Democratic leadership and the Biden administration for what he described as a failure to enforce immigration laws, arguing that federal policies have left states to deal with the consequences.

“The left, under Joe Biden, caused this mess. It’s why we shouldn’t be surprised that Democrats in Washington have made it clear that they support dangerous illegal criminal aliens over law-abiding American citizens,” he said.

As Alabama’s top law enforcement official, Marshall said he welcomes ICE collaboration and plans to advocate for broader enforcement efforts across the state. His remarks come as some states and local governments have limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities, a trend Republicans have criticized as undermining public safety.

“Unlike state officials in Minnesota, as Alabama's top law enforcement official, I am proud to partner with ICE and will advocate for continued and expanded operations in our state to vigorously pursue dangerous criminal offenders who flagrantly violate our nation's immigration laws and put Alabama families at risk. Our state stands for law and order because we understand what's at stake: the safety of our communities. We will stop at nothing to protect Alabama families, deliver justice and get criminal illegal immigrants out of our country.”

Marshall also tied his position to his Senate campaign, saying immigration enforcement would be a priority if elected.

"As Alabama’s next U.S. Senator, I will always fight for our communities by ensuring ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have the funding, manpower and tools to do their job. The security of our state and our nation depend on it."