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Commission finalizes suggestions
11/3/2006 5:32 PM
By: Adam Shub

CHARLOTTE – The Mayor’s Immigration Study Commission is in the final stages of drafting immigration policy recommendations in four key areas for the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

The commission's final report is due by the end of the year.
While the official report is expected to be released in the coming weeks, commission members continue to go back on forth on what suggestions make the cut and which are left out.

“They’ve been honorable and hard working,” said Alan Gordon, chairman of the Immigration Commission. “They’ve talked about the issues, but they’re not going to come to consensus on everything.”

The commission’s specific areas of focus are on public safety, education, economic development and healthcare. It has taken nearly a year to collect data and form a tentative draft of recommendations.

Both Gordon and Mayor Pat McCrory (Charlotte-R) said that the commission is a unique way of addressing the controversial issue.

“It’s the only local effort I know of in the nation,” said McCrory.

Some within the community fear that if the report contains too many suggestions, it may obscure what they see as the most important issue.

“Our country’s national security is the main issue, and how to deal with it locally and have all the facts so people easily understand it,” said Mecklenburg County Sheriff Jim Pendergraph.

Chairman Gordon said that when all is said and done, the report will be a valuable tool for elected officials searching for answers to one of the country’s most controversial issues.

“I think people want to see what we’ve gathered, and this is the only place where we’ve done this and we have the information,” said Gordon.

The commission’s report is due by the end of the year. Once it is released, it will be reviewed for endorsement by both the city council and the Mecklenburg County Commission.

WATCH THE VIDEO
Immigration Study - News 14 Carolina's Adam Shub has more on the commission.