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County's resolution calls on better enforcement of immigration
BY GINNY SKALSKI
The Island Packet
Published Monday, December 4, 2006
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The Beaufort County Council has yet to decide what the county's role should be in deterring businesses from hiring illegal immigrants. But the council is unanimous on the role federal government should play.

The council voted 10-0 last week to approve a resolution that calls on the federal government to strongly enforce immigration rules and to strengthen the laws regulating immigration.

The resolution is being forwarded to President Bush, South Carolina's congressional delegation, Gov. Mark Sanford, the S.C. General Assembly and other local office holders.


View the Beaufort County Council resolution (you need to click on the link above if you want to read this)



It says that the volume of letters and e-mails that council members have received about the issue demonstrates that something must be done to enforce and improve federal immigration laws.

Councilman Bill McBride introduced the resolution last week after the council's closed meeting with attorneys to discuss the proposed Lawful Employment Ordinance. The ordinance would punish businesses that knowingly employ illegal immigrants.

Following the closed session, McBride read the resolution aloud to the audience of more than 120 people, most of whom attended to see whether the council would move the ordinance forward.

The crowd erupted in applause after McBride read the following line from the resolution:

"The citizens of this state and nation and the citizens of Beaufort County are concerned, worried, upset, frustrated, and downright mad that President Bush and the executive branch of the United States government has and is totally failing in the enforcement of the Immigration Act as it relates to the influx of illegal aliens."