Thread: ALIPAC in the News! Immigration debate goes on

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/n ... 360232.htm

Immigration debate goes on
Activists on both sides urged change in 2006. Expect their fight to continue this year.
DÁNICA COTO
dcoto@charlotteobserver.com

With a barrage of new programs and proposals, activists on both sides of the illegal immigration debate are renewing their efforts for change this year.

One Charlotte group plans to host more citizenship workshops, provide additional legal resources and launch a campaign to educate undocumented immigrants about their rights. Many of those immigrants are confused about the flurry of new local and state laws targeting them, said Adriana Galvez-Taylor of Communities for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

Several counties and cities in the Charlotte region have approved or are considering English-only resolutions, ordinances that limit the number of people living in a dwelling, and hefty fines for those who employ or rent to illegal immigrants.

"You've caught people off-guard here," Galvez-Taylor said. "Perhaps they didn't know enough to begin with and were riding the wave of being invisible for so many years."

On the other side, one anti-illegal-immigration group is pushing for at least 50 municipalities to enroll in a get-tough screening program. That program includes by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, which checks the legal status of those who are arrested. Deportation proceedings have begun against more than 900 illegal immigrants in the past year.

"We need more illegal aliens leaving North Carolina than coming into North Carolina," said William Gheen, president of the Americans for Legal Immigration political action committee in Raleigh.

An estimated 390,000 illegal immigrants live in the state.

The group also plans to pursue a law similar to one Georgia approved last year.

Georgia's law requires, among other things, that those applying for taxpayer-funded benefits present documents showing their legal status.

Gheen also praised an N.C. law that went into effect Aug. 28, requiring proof of a valid visa or Social Security number from those seeking a driver's license. But it should also require that licenses be picked up in person and that valid paperwork be presented, Gheen said.

Municipalities likely will keep creating laws because officials are tired of waiting for federal guidance, experts say.

Kevin Appleby, director of migration and refugee policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said that while President Bush talks about his support for a guest-worker program, agents are still rounding up illegal immigrants. The current immigration system, Appleby said, is broken.

Dánica Coto: 704-358-5065.

Subject line adjusted, BTTT

W

Looks like your getting N.C. nice and cleaned up William. Keep up the good work.

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http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=N ... e&sid=1804

Great job! North Carolina has a long way to go though. Keep up the good work!