Thread: NC: Governor McCrory takes dig at High Point over immigration bill

By Mark Binker
Posted: 6:07 p.m. yesterday
Updated: 10:06 a.m. today


Tags: Pat McCrory, Immigration



Raleigh, N.C. — Gov. Pat McCrory took a swipe at High Point furniture manufacturers during a brief appearance before the State Board of Education Wednesday.
McCrory used his time to both talk about education and explain why he vetoed a pair of bills. One of those measures extends from 90 days to nine months the amount of of time an employee can work without having his or her immigration status checked against the federal E-Verify database.
Agricultural interests pushed for the veto override, and backers of the bill mostly cited farm interests in arguing for an override. But McCrory said other industries were at play.
"Some of the manufacturers in towns like High Point worked hard for this bill because they, frankly, want to hire illegal immigrants as opposed to North Carolina workers and paying good wages," McCrory said.
The governor did not stop to take questions from reporters after that appearance.
Later in the day, McCrory spokeswoman Kim Genardo acknowledged the quote.
"He means it," she said, adding that the information about manufacturers came from "private discussions."
Leaders from around High Point did not seem to appreciate McCrory's broadside.
High Point is home to a massive semi-annual furniture trade show, and despite layoffs in the industry over the past two decades, it is still home to furniture manufacturing and assembly operations. More broadly, North Carolina is home to or the American headquarters for dozens of furniture manufacturing operations.
Told of McCrory's quote, Jaclyn Hirschhaut, vice president of public relations and marketing for the American Home Furnishings Alliance, a major manufacturing trade group based in High Point, paused.
"I'm not aware of a preference by any home furnishings manufacturer in the High Point area for hiring illegal aliens as opposed to North Carolina citizens," Hirschhaut said.
Rep. John Faircloth, R-High Point, said the governor had used "unfortunate wording" and was not correct about the motivations of manufacturers.
Some manufacturers were working in concert with farm groups because they were concerned about their ability to hire workers for physically demanding jobs, Faircloth said.
"I did not hear anybody say they were doing it because they wanted to hire illegals," he said. "I think that's going a bit far afield."

http://www.wral.com/mccrory-takes-a-...bill/12851933/

Sep. 11, 2013 @ 09:00 PM

Paul B. Johnson
hpe.com

HIGH POINT —

The primary federal agency that investigates employers for hiring undocumented workers said it hasn’t cited a High Point employer or home furnishings company in the state during the past year, which contrasts with an accusation made last week by Gov. Pat McCrory during a speech in Raleigh.

The Republican governor, who grew up in Jamestown, said that one of the reasons that the GOP-controlled N.C. General Assembly overrode his veto of a bill on verifying the legal status of workers is that employers in High Point associated with home furnishings aim to bring on undocumented workers.

“Some of the manufacturers in towns like High Point worked hard for this bill because they, frankly, want to hire illegal immigrants as opposed to North Carolina workers and paying good wages,” McCrory said during a N.C. Board of Education meeting Sept. 4.

McCrory was speaking in the wake of the General Assembly overriding his veto of a bill that extends how long an employer in the state has to verify the legal status of an employee. The law extends from three months to nine months the amount of time an employee can draw a paycheck without having his or her legal status cleared though a federal database known as E-Verify.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, commonly known as ICE, served approximately 35 notices of inspection for the legal status of workers to North Carolina companies during the 2012 fiscal year. ICE issued notices of intent to fine to six companies during the same period, the agency reports.

“All of the inspections involved companies in industries tied to critical infrastructure/national security or to health and safety,” said Vincent Picard, an ICE spokesman at the regional office in Atlanta.

None of the companies issued notices of intent to fine was a High Point employer or home furnishing company in North Carolina, Picard told The High Point Enterprise, which specifically requested the information from the agency.

McCrory has declined to elaborate on his undocumented workers remarks. A representative for McCrory reiterated Wednesday to the Enterprise that the governor’s office had no further comment on the matter.

ICE is the second workplace enforcement agency to indicate that it hasn’t sanctioned High Point or North Carolina home furnishings companies for hiring undocumented employees. Last week a spokesman for the N.C. Department of Labor in Raleigh said the state agency doesn’t have a track record of citing home furnishings companies for violating the E-Verify requirements.

ICE is a federal agency under the administration of Democratic President Barack Obama. The N.C. Department of Labor is directed by Republican Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry, who was re-elected to another four-year term by voters in the fall of last year.

http://www.hpe.com/news/x915048719/F...mented-workers