House Select Committee on the State's Role in Immigration Policy Page 11
March 28, 2012
Maudia Melendez, Executive Director, Jesus Ministries, spoke to the Committee about her life as an immigrant and her work in the immigrant community since moving to America 39 years ago. She has been in North Carolina for 25 years and has heard many negative comments about immigrants. She wanted to share with the Committee that immigrants are people of faith and they contribute to the economy.
James Johnson, President, North Carolinians For Immigration Reform and Enforcement (NC FIRE), addressed the Committee about illegal immigration in North Carolina. He said that last year, 32 states passed strong immigration enforcement laws to protect their citizens from the undue burdens associated with illegal aliens. Some of these states, such as Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, passed up to 15 different laws regarding illegal immigration. He said that with the two laws passed last year, North Carolina has little more than nothing to deter illegal aliens from coming to this State. With the influx and the associated cost of illegal aliens that are currently self-deporting from these other states, Mr. Johnson is asking the Committee to relieve North Carolina of these undue burdens by writing or recommending strong immigration enforcement legislation.
Next, a public hearing was held and approximately 35 individuals spoke. Those comments are reflected in the minutes.
December 6, 2012
The Committee adopted the final report.