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Meeting in Butler on immigrants
County officials want a discussion on the best way to be fair and enforce the law.
By Candice Brooks

Staff Writer

HAMILTON — As several local political leaders have made proposals to crack down on illegal immigration, the Butler County commissioners will hold an open discussion today with stakeholders on all sides of the issue to determine the best strategy to step up enforcement of immigration laws.

From sheriff's deputies and immigration officers to home builders and Hispanic community members, all have been invited to the session at 9:30 a.m. in the fourth floor conference room of the Butler County Government Services Center, 315 High St.

The forum comes after local church and community leaders spoke out Sunday with the Butler County Community Alliance about uniting the community through immigration policy.

Recent raids at businesses and proposals like empowering sheriff's deputies to work as immigration enforcement officers are "creating a climate of intolerance and Latino businesses are talking about leaving the area," said BCCA member Shelly Jarrett Bromberg, who plans to attend today's meeting.

"Do you need to raid a home?" Bromberg asked referring to the recent shutdown of Bee's Chinese Buffet in Fairfield.

"We are losing our humanity here. We are letting these politicians with kind of quirky ideas about the law dehumanize a population."

Commissioner Michael Fox said he is looking for a compassionate — but effective — way to enforce the law to create jobs for legal residents and prevent the cheap "slave labor" of illegal workers.

"I don't want to put the emphasis on rounding people up and sending them back home. That's not where I'm coming from," Fox said.

"I want to put the pressure on people who can really fix this problem.

"I'm equally passionate about giving them (illegal immigrants) a path to citizenship as I am about building a wall," he said.

Sheriff Richard K. Jones said he wants his officers to have the authority to enforce immigration law without paying for the required six-week training.

"If you are sneaking, lying and cheating the government... fair labor standards, not paying taxes, not paying workers competitive wages, those are already violations," Jones said.

"You violate the law, you don't need to be in business."