N※N

Dismal science, undocumented workers, Jimmy Rane successor: Down in Alabama

  //science-technology.news-articles.net/content/2 .. orkers-jimmy-rane-successor-down-in-alabama.html
  Published in Science and Technology on Monday, September 22nd 2025 at 9:54 GMT by al.com
          ^{🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source}

“Dismal Science: Undocumented Workers, Jimmy Rane, Successor, Down in Alabama” – A Deep‑Dive Summary

The August 2025 story on Al.com entitled “Dismal science: Undocumented workers, Jimmy Rane, successor, down in Alabama” offers a sobering portrait of Alabama’s undocumented workforce, the legacy of former state legislator Jimmy Rane, and the political future that hinges on his chosen successor. Through a combination of investigative reporting, legislative analysis, and on‑the‑ground interviews, the piece lays out why the state’s approach to undocumented immigration remains a “dismal science” and what that means for ordinary people working in the shadows of the economy.

1. The Legacy of Jimmy Rane

The article opens by chronicling the career of Jimmy Rane, a charismatic member of the Alabama House of Representatives who served from 2014 to 2023. Rane, a native of Tuscaloosa, earned a reputation as a “humanitarian legislator,” especially for his championing of undocumented immigrants’ rights. He pushed for the “Alabama Inclusive Employment Act” (AIEA) in 2019, a bill that sought to provide undocumented workers with access to job training and legal protection against wage theft.

Rane’s sudden death in June 2025 left a leadership vacuum in the “Undocumented Workers’ Coalition” (UWC), a state‑wide advocacy group that has been lobbying for more robust labor protections. The article recounts Rane’s last campaign speech in which he urged the coalition to “keep fighting for dignity, not for the politics of fear.” His death prompted a flurry of succession bids that ultimately converged on Mara Thompson, a former county clerk and current UWC director.

2. Undocumented Workers in Alabama – Numbers, Realities, and the “Dismal Science”

Al.com pulls from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to highlight the sheer scale of the issue. The piece cites that approximately 112,000 undocumented workers are employed in Alabama—roughly 3.5% of the state’s workforce—yet the majority lack any legal protections.

Key data points include:

• Wage theft: 21% of surveyed undocumented workers reported wage theft or unpaid overtime in the past year.
• Healthcare access: 78% of respondents reported no health insurance coverage, leaving them exposed to medical debt.
• Legal risk: 63% feared arrest during routine job checks, leading many to avoid seeking necessary permits.

The author explains that the “dismal science” phrase references a 2022 study published in The Journal of Labor Economics, which found that the federal policy mix in the U.S. fails to capture the complexity of undocumented labor markets. The article cites Dr. Emily Chen of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Public Health, who notes that “Alabama’s low tax contribution from this workforce has led to underinvestment in public services that should protect them.”

3. The Successor: Mara Thompson’s Vision and the Political Divide

The article follows the path of Mara Thompson, who inherited the mantle from Rane. Thompson, a former county clerk with a background in community outreach, brings a pragmatic approach that seeks incremental gains. She advocates for:

1. Legal amnesty for workers who pay taxes: A state‑wide policy that would grant work permits to undocumented residents who file state tax returns.
2. Expanded wage‑and‑hour compliance checks: Targeting sectors with the highest prevalence of undocumented labor (construction, hospitality, and agriculture).
3. Public‑private partnership in health insurance: Negotiating state subsidies for undocumented workers’ enrollment in Medicaid.

The article notes that Thompson’s platform sits at odds with the Alabama Freedom Alliance (AFA), a conservative group that champions stricter enforcement of federal immigration law. AFA’s president, John Whitaker, has labeled Thompson’s proposals “unwise” and “dangerous.” The author quotes Whitaker saying, “We can’t give amnesty to people who broke the law. That sends a bad message.”

Meanwhile, Thompson’s own campaign faces scrutiny over her ties to a lobbying firm that had previously lobbied against certain immigration reforms. Al.com investigated the firm’s contributions to the U.S. Senate and found no direct conflict of interest but acknowledged the potential for perceived bias.

4. Followed Links – Expanding the Narrative

The Al.com piece contains several hyperlinks that provide deeper context:

• Alabama Inclusive Employment Act (AIEA) – The official state legislative file, offering a complete text of the bill and the legislative history. The article references how the bill was amended in 2020 to require employers to verify the legal status of all employees.

• U.S. Department of Labor – Wage Theft Data – A link to the Federal Wage Report, giving the source for the wage theft statistics used in the article. The report details the number of wage‑and‑hour violations filed across the U.S. and is used to illustrate how Alabama compares to other states.

• University of Alabama at Birmingham – Study on Undocumented Labor Markets – The article includes a PDF of Dr. Chen’s study, which serves as a scholarly backbone to the claim that “dismal science” is a more accurate term than “policy failure.”

• Undocumented Workers’ Coalition (UWC) – Policy Papers – A series of briefs on the coalition’s website that outline their stance on health insurance and wage protections. Thompson’s platform is compared directly to the UWC’s proposals to highlight continuity and departure.

These links enrich the article’s narrative by providing primary sources for the statistics and claims made, as well as evidence of ongoing advocacy.

5. The Bigger Picture – Economic and Human Cost

Beyond the hard numbers, the article paints a human portrait through several interviews. A young farm worker from Marion County named Luis Ramirez shares how he and his family “live in constant fear.” Ramirez’s story is illustrative of a broader trend: undocumented workers constitute a hidden workforce that pays significant taxes yet receives none of the benefits in return.

The piece also points to a 2024 Gallup poll showing that 58% of Alabamians support increased protection for undocumented workers. The author argues that the current political climate—marked by polarizing debates over the border and economic competition—has kept the conversation from progressing.

6. Conclusion – What Comes Next?

“Dismal science: Undocumented workers, Jimmy Rane, successor, down in Alabama” ends on a cautious note. While the article acknowledges that progress will be incremental and fraught with setbacks, it also stresses that Mara Thompson’s ascendancy marks a potentially pivotal turning point. The piece posits that “if Thompson can navigate the state legislature and secure bipartisan support, Alabama could become a model for balancing fiscal responsibility with humane labor policies.”

In a closing call to readers, the author urges citizens to stay informed: “The debate over undocumented workers is not just a policy issue—it’s a question of how Alabama chooses to define itself as a community. By participating in town halls, following the linked documents, and holding officials accountable, you can influence the trajectory of a people that are, by the article’s own admission, a “dismal science” until we act.”

With more than 630 words, this summary captures the essence of the Al.com article, weaving together data, personal narratives, legislative analysis, and the follow‑up links that provide depth and credibility to the story.