Thread: NC - Mexican consulate visit causes stir

Mexican Consulate visit causes stir

By James Shea
and Harrison Metzger
Times-News Staff Writers
June 28, 2008

A visit by the Mexican Consulate planned for today set off an uproar from illegal immigration opponents who say the services will help those here illegally stay in the country.
The visit by the consulate, scheduled all day today at Blue Ridge Community College, generated objections from a Raleigh-based group, a planned protest by Republican congressional candidate Carl Mumpower and a quickly thrown together security plan by the college and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department.
“I’m getting inundated with e-mails about the visit,â€

Blue Ridge Community College In Middle Of Illegal Immigration

Blue Ridge Community College will be the site this Saturday morning of a visit by the Mexican Consulate, according to Carl Mumpower, candidates for congress in Western North Carolina this year...the Consulate will be on the local campus to assist "Hispanics" in obtaining what's known as a "consular matricula" I.D. card from the Mexican Embassy. That card, says Mumpower, is recognized in North Carolina (one of only a handful of states that recognizes it) as a "valid I.D. card, and it can be used to obtain a North Carolina driver's license.

Mumpower plans a protest of the whole thing...beginning with a gathering at his Asheville office at 6:15am at Suite 310, One Oak Plaza for the trip to Hendersonville...then a follow-up breakfast gathering at the Upward Road Cracker Barrel at 7am with the groups protest beginning sometime around 8am on or about the campus of Blue Ridge Community College.

BRCC spokeswoman Lee Anna Haney said the local Latino Advocacy Coalition has rented the space from the taxpayer-owned community college. A watchdog group, North Carolina Listen, had asked to monitor the event...the community college denied that request, saying use of the college facilities must comply with their "facilities use policy" and groups or individuals may NOT come on campus to monitor other groups.

Former Western North Carolina Congressman Charles Taylor sponsored an "Illegal Immigration Town Hall Meeting" in the Bo Thomas Auditorium on the community college campus last Fall...and the Latino Advocacy Coalition and all other groups were allowed to attend.

Mumpower says, "It appears this event is to assist illegal immigrants in general with recommendations and other information." And Mumpower referred to illegal immigration as "the greatest law breaking scheme in America's history."

For reports on the planned Saturday morning protest, be listening to WHKP AM 1450 Saturday morning beginning at approximately 7am...also on Mediacom cable tv channel 11...and on your computer at whkp.com, click on "Listen Live".

http://www.whkp.com/index.php?option=co ... iew&id=583

[quote]There is nothing illegal about the consulate affairs that the Mexican Consulate is going to do,â€

[quote]Justus double checked with a state legislative researcher, who confirmed that “state law now requires persons who apply for a drivers license to provide their valid Social Security number, which DMV verifies with the Social Security Administration.â€

[quote]Tappia said he has no problem with the protests, but is unhappy with what he says is disinformation about the purpose of the event.
[b]“Most of these people are legal residents that are not eligible to travel because they are not American citizens,â€

We had the Mexican Mobile Council come to town this week June 26 - 29th. They were at the Centro Migrante.

There were a number of people in the parking lot, steady stream of people going in and out. What makes this interesting is earlier this week ICE was in Waukegan. Can we wonder if people stopped by to pick up Mexican passports so that they can leave town?

[quote]“There is nothing illegal about the consulate affairs that the Mexican Consulate is going to do,â€

[quote]“The lady at the community college was wrong,â€

Where are the starving folks that are only here to feed themselves and their family? Most in this photograph appear to be well fed, especially the lady in the gray t-shirt.

[quote]“Most of these people are legal residents that are not eligible to travel because they are not American citizens,â€