Immigrant Advocacy Groups Celebrate Community, Warn Against ICE Bill

Source: WRAL

Advocates for North Carolina’s immigrant community gathered this Tax Day to tout the contributions immigrants make to the economy and warn against a bill Republicans are trying once again to pass this legislative session. 

The bill, House Bill 10, would require county sheriffs to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – something that sheriffs in eight North Carolina counties promised not to do when they campaigned and won in 2018. 

Since then Republican lawmakers have been trying to pass this bill, but have had it twice vetoed by Governor Roy Cooper. Now that Republicans have a veto-proof majority in both chambers, advocates expect Republican legislators to resurrect the bill once more. 

“We don’t have a border, but they’re still using similar rhetoric to try to get folks to be scared and vote out against immigrants in November,” said Kelly Morales of Siembra NC.

While Republicans often try to cherry pick cases and use loaded rhetoric to connect immigrants with crime, the data shows that immigrants actually commit fewer crimes than native-born citizens. 

Morales noted the “tireless work” immigrants contribute to the state, and what she would like legislators to prioritize instead. “Our members are proud to pay taxes in North Carolina, and we’d like to see those taxes go to fully-funded public schools, toward early childhood education and absolutely toward investigating employers who don’t keep their workers safe and who don’t pay their wages.”
The estimated 350,000 undocumented immigrants in North Carolina contribute around $300 million a year to the state in sales, income, and property taxes, according to a study by Carolina Forward.

Share:

More Posts

NC House Democrats Stand United Against SB 153

SB 153 is a right-wing bill that would burden local law enforcement, infringe on the rights of local governments, and further empower ICE to perform unconstitutional raids on North Carolina communities. 

Redadas de ICE en Charlotte y Concord: Intensificación de Arrestos de Inmigrantes en Carolina del Norte

En una reunión celebrada el 21 de mayo en la sede de ICE en Washington, el principal asesor del presidente Trump, Stephen Miller, y la secretaría de Seguridad Nacional, Kristi Noem, instruyeron a los oficiales de inmigración a aumentar los arrestos diarios a 3,000, triplicando la cifra alcanzada en los primeros meses del mandato de Trump. Este objetivo forma parte de un esfuerzo por ejecutar la operación de deportación más grande en la historia de Estados Unidos. 

Trump’s FEMA Denies North Carolina’s Hurricane Helene Aid Request, Again

“FEMA’s denial of our appeal will cost North Carolina taxpayers potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up out west,” Stein explained. “The money we have to pay toward debris removal will mean less money toward supporting our small businesses, rebuilding downtown infrastructure, repairing our water and sewer systems, and other critical needs.”

3 Million People Could Lose SNAP Under GOP Plan, Gov. Stein Warns of NC Fallout

“If Congress goes forward with these plans, our state will be forced into perilous budget decisions – should North Carolinians lose access to food, or should we get rid of other essential services?” Gov. Stein wrote. “I urge our members of Congress to reject this budget proposal so that North Carolina families don’t go hungry.”