Summerville votes down immigration reform
Posted: Sep 08, 2010 8:57 PM PDT
Updated: Sep 08, 2010 9:22 PM PDT

By Anthony Miller

SUMMERVILLE, SC (WCSC) - It appeared Summerville mayor Berlin G. Myers had heard just about enough on the issue of illegal immigration reform in Summerville.

At Wednesdays second and final reading of the towns immigration reform ordinance he initially only allowed two people to speak on the issue - one from either side.

Eventually he was convinced to let everyone have their say.

At the center of the debate was an ordinance that would force landlords and employers to check the citizenship of employees and renters.

The ordinance passed earlier this year, Wednesday night it failed.

Instead the town council endorsed a newer version of the ordinance.

Mr. Mayor, I would like to make a motion that we table this with the intention of separating out the housing and harboring element from the employment portion of the law," said councilman Mike Dawson.

That version passed its first reading.

It appears the housing version of ordinance was cut due to fear of costly legislation.

"I'm just am not willing to pay taxpayer dollars to do so," said Dawson.

Some estimated it could cost more than $3 million in legal fees.

Both sides weighed in after the discussion.

"This is not about race, this is just about people of all different colors of all different nationalities," said Roan Garcia-Quintana of the organization "Americans Have Had Enough. "There were people in there (council chambers) that admitted to breaking federal law."

Others disagreed with that assessment.

"Landlords were not here asking to rent to illegal aliens, we're not asking to do anything illegal. We're simply asking not to be turned into Homeland Security unlike any other business in the city," said Victoria Cowart of Darby Development Company.

No matter which side they were on they knew this fight was far from over Wednesday night.

The council will be back in session October 12 discussing the new ordinance.

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