Thread: W quoted: NC Lawmakers hear impassioned arguments on illegal immigration

State to delay action on illegals

By Patrick Gannon

Published: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 4:44 p.m.

The General Assembly won't consider any significant legislation to address illegal immigration in this year's short legislative session, lawmakers said after a contentious two-hour public hearing on the issue.

About three dozen people on both sides of the immigration debate addressed the House Select Committee on the State's Role in Immigration Policy Wednesday afternoon at the Legislative Office Building.

At the end of the hearing, Rep. Harry Warren, R-Rowan, a committee co-chairman, said the committee would meet two more times this fall, then submit a report by the end of the year with recommendations for possible legislation in coming years. Among the recommendations, he said, could be a resolution to "encourage the federal government to do its job" in cracking down on illegal immigration.

Warren said the 2012 legislative session, which begins May 16, is expected to be a "short, short session" in which controversial topics such as immigration are unlikely to surface.

Rep. Frank Iler, R-Brunswick, the other co-chairman, said the state should wait to see how the U.S. Supreme Court comes down on challenges to strict new anti-immigration laws passed by other states before pursuing new legislation in North Carolina that could end up in expensive court battles. The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in a case challenging Arizona's anti-illegal immigration laws this summer.

Nonetheless, committee members heard from 36 speakers out of 61 who signed up to speak on Wednesday. Because of time constraints, speakers were given three minutes, and a committee clerk pulled numbers out of a bowl to determine who would speak next.

Maudia Melendez, executive director of Jesus Ministry Inc. in Charlotte, said illegal immigrants were "invited" to a "desolate" North Carolina more than two decades ago to help develop it but now are often treated poorly. She said Hispanic immigrants are people of faith who attend churches throughout the state.

"Have mercy on the immigrants and stop calling them all of the things you think they are," Melendez said.

But James Johnson, of North Carolinians for Immigration Reform and Enforcement, or NCFIRE, said North Carolina lawmakers have done little to deter illegal immigrants from coming to the state and costing taxpayers to educate, incarcerate and provide medical treatment to them. He recommended strong immigration enforcement legislation as other states have passed recently.

"The citizens of North Carolina have suffered enough," Johnson said.

Committee members also heard from clergy members, undocumented immigrants and others who oppose new anti-illegal immigration laws.

"Legislators should stop dividing our communities and instead work for policies that unite us and make us stronger," Patricia Adams said.

Juan Ramos said he was a high school senior and an undocumented immigrant with an uncertain future. He asked committee members for "opportunities," but said they could choose to hold him back if they wish.

"Just to let you know," he said, "I'm not scared."

And members heard from members of groups who want to see the state enact tougher immigration laws like Arizona and Alabama.

William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, or ALIPAC, said illegal immigrants are contributing to an "aggressive invasion" of North Carolina, contributing to "mass lawlessness" and taking jobs from Americans in the construction and hospitality industries. He urged lawmakers to take a stand or risk getting voted out of office.

"I'm asking you to be bold. I'm asking you to be just. I'm asking you to move now," he said.
Because of the controversial subject and disturbances at previous committee meetings, the hearing was tightly controlled, and Warren warned the crowd that anyone who disrupted it would be arrested. Warren asked audience members a couple times to stop applauding after speakers finished their comments.

Some audience members who oppose new immigration laws then started raising their hands and moving their fingers to silently indicate applause, and Warren put a stop to that as well.

Ilario Pantano, a candidate for Congress in the 7th Congressional District, signed up to speak but his number wasn't chosen from the bowl.

"I'm deeply disappointed that a veteran of two wars was not able to give testimony, but that five self-admitted illegals were," said Pantano, a former Marine.

Pantano has made fighting illegal immigration one of the focal points of his primary campaign against state Sen. David Rouzer, R-Johnston.

State to delay action on illegals | StarNewsOnline.com

Maudia Melendez, executive director of Jesus Ministry Inc. in Charlotte, said illegal immigrants were "invited" to a "desolate" North Carolina more than two decades ago to help develop it but now are often treated poorly. She said Hispanic immigrants are people of faith who attend churches throughout the state.

Ah yes, the first speaker! I almost turned the video off because she turned EVERYTHING around:
invited here by whom may I ask? They used to come and work as seasonal help, and then while I was living in Canada they just decided to stay!
Help develop what? They are intent on destroying NC... it's a filthy State now. They refuse to use trash cans, I doubt many of them even know what they are! Why walk 10 steps to the garbage can when you can just drop it right where they stand.

And the very WORST was when she demanded illegals are people of faith... as if Americans are heathens! Believe me, you could be in Church all day on Sunday.... but the rest of the week is what counts! Guess the Ten Commandments are for Sunday ONLY. THOU SHALL STEAL EVERY DAY BUT SUNDAY. What a crock, made me want to just puke.

First article added to the Homepage
http://www.alipac.us/content/nc-lawm...migration-311/