www.wcnc.com



Hundreds show to support Myrick's immigration plan
10:06 AM EDT on Wednesday, August 17, 2005

By REBECCA LINDSTROM / 6NEWS

Hundreds showed up to support Myrick's immigration plan.

Hundreds of people showed up to a town hall meeting Tuesday night to support Representative Sue Myrick’s controversial plan to deport illegal immigrants.

Among those that showed up were about two dozen members of Scott Gardner’s family. Myrick’s bill will be named after Gardner, who was killed in a drunk driving accident by an illegal immigrant.

“This isn’t about us. It’s about Scott Gardner. He was a tremendous influence in this community,� said Terry Lee, Cardner’s uncle.

Gardner’s family is working to continue that influence.

“Scott’s mom is very focused on this. She does not want other moms to have to deal with this,� said Lee.

Gardner’s wife is still hospitalized, still in a coma after a repeat offending drunk driver slammed into their car while they were headed to the beach.

“He’s now serving a two year prison term for his 2004 DWi conviction,� said Rex Gore, District Attorney for the 13th district.

But Myrick and the family want more.

“You’re drunk. You’re driving. You’re deported. Period,� she said as the room burst into applause.

Clearly the people that showed up to the meeting wanted more too.

“If they’re here illegally we need to be sending them back. If they commit a crime, it doesn’t matter how big or small, export them,� said Eddie Hartman a supporter of the plan.

The idea of the meeting, to show support for the family and find ways to help those frustrated with illegal immigration. However, some see proposed policies like rewarding officers for arresting illegal citizens as simply bounty hunting.

“I don’t think it’s bounty hunting,� said Lee.

Myricks plan would require local law officials to check a person’s legal status when investigating a crime. It would create an immigration court and detention facility in Charlotte. It would also immediately deport an illegal immigrant convicted of a DWI.

Supporters of the plan said the plan doesn’t create new laws, just tools for enforcing laws already on the books.