NC: Mumpower wants 'undocumented worker' moratorium

Councilman's request puts twist on building moratorium
by Joel Burgess
published March 6, 2008 9:56 am

ASHEVILLE – One moratorium request has spurred another from Asheville's elected officials.

City Councilman Carl Mumpower asked Thursday that the council stop undocumented workers from being hired for downtown construction.

Mumpower called for "a moratorium on illegal aliens working on downtown building projects."

His request follows a proposal this week by Councilwoman Robin Cape that the city impose a temporary halt on large downtown construction projects.

An excerpt from Mumpower's 8 a.m. e-mail to City Manager Gary Jackson:

"From direct and indirect sources of confirmation, every major building project in the downtown of Asheville is utilizing a host of non-English speaking workers. This includes the Buncombe County parking garage on College Street. A significant number of these employees are either undocumented illegal aliens or these construction firms have had extraordinary good fortune in hiring legal non-English speaking workers"


The councilman said he wanted the issue back on the city's agenda, including giving local police power to help start deportation of foreign residents who could not prove they are living in the United States legally.

Mumpower has tried step up local policing in the past but could not get a majority of council members to back the idea.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pb...EWS01/80306023