Thread: Opinion: Needed: immigration court

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/n ... 792112.htm

Opinion
Posted on Sun, Jun. 11, 2006

Needed: immigration court
N.C. ranks 8th in illegal aliens, but lack of court hampers enforcement

From U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, a Charlotte Republican:

Between 1990 and 2000, our state had a 273.7 percent increase in foreign-born population. This was the largest increase in the nation, and doesn't even account for our incredible growth over the past six years. Our illegal alien population is estimated at 300,000 to 500,000, which makes us home to the nation's 8th largest illegal alien population.

Every day, law enforcement officers in North Carolina release illegal aliens back onto the street with a slip of paper urging them to show up for an immigration court hearing in Atlanta. It's no surprise that they don't show up to a court four hours away, or eight hours away if they live in eastern North Carolina.

Our state has a growing immigration problem. We need all the tools and resources we can get to not only combat illegal immigration but also to help legal immigrants. But all the manpower, resources and help we receive are controlled by Atlanta, where there's a free-standing district office with an immigration court. To take control of our own immigration problems, we need an immigration court in North Carolina.

That's why I have been fighting with the Department of Justice to place an immigration court in Charlotte. A court would bring immigration lawyers and judges, more immigration agents to track down illegal aliens and more immigration officers to deport illegal aliens.

An immigration court also would help legal immigrants. Right now, they must travel to Atlanta to resolve issues like simple mistakes on their paperwork. This is a large burden on people who are trying to play by the rules. An immigration court in Charlotte would provide them with easy access to immigration help and services.

Unfortunately, each time I wrote and requested the Department of Justice officials to place an immigration court in North Carolina, they denied my request. They said other areas had a greater need.

I didn't like their answers so I compiled research to prove them wrong. It may shock you to know that of the 10 states with the largest illegal alien population, North Carolina is the only one without an immigration court.

In addition, 16 other states with fewer illegal aliens do have immigration courts! For example, Louisiana has an immigration court, yet has only an estimated 35,000 illegal aliens.

We have the greatest need for an immigration court, and we've been treated unfairly. What is even more upsetting is that there is already a designated space for an immigration court in Charlotte. We don't need a building to house the judges and lawyers, it's already been built. We just need the people to staff it!

Im a recent meeting I presented all these facts to Department of Justice officials. The good news is that they now see we have a great need for a court. The bad news is that they have made no movement toward placing a court in Charlotte.

I will continue my battle to get a court for our state because it is the key to getting a handle on our immigration problems. If you would like to join me in this fight, I encourage you to contact the Department of Justice and urge them to give North Carolina an immigration court.

How you can help

Call the U.S. Department of Justice at 202-514-2000 to register your support for an immigration court in Charlotte. Or write to the Attorney General at AskDOJ@usdoj.gov or:

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20530-0001

Call the U.S. Department of Justice at 202-514-2000 to register your support for an immigration court in Charlotte. Or write to the Attorney General at AskDOJ@usdoj.gov or:

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20530-0001

Maybe we should all call and insist upon a court in our city. Quote the crime statistics.

By the way, can't the governors in each state force the enforcement of our current immigration laws? If they did their job by seeing to the deportation of every illegal stopped , seems we would have very little illegal immigration. Forgiveness is always easier to get than permission... and after all, they would just be enforcing our current laws which is their job.

we need an immigration court in North Carolina.

Snowball's chance in H... they will get that.