Earlier this week, a scaled-back version of an anti-immigrant proposal by Bill James, a Republican on the Mecklenburg County Commission in North Carolina, which includes the largest metropolitan area in the state, was rejected by the county board.
James’ original proposal asked that commissioners direct the Department of Social Services to “ignore state and federal regulations” and flag undocumented immigrants receiving welfare or food stamps for their U.S.-born children.
A majority of the board, 5-3, voted against the tamer version James presented before the board and a crowd of residents on Tuesday. That version asked that the commission inquire from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “how it might share information it has about the potential undocumented status of someone who has applied for aid.”
“We don’t know if they’re Osama wannabes,” James said, while claiming it is a homeland security issue.
Immigrant rights advocates say the proposal will only serve to further divide the community and questioned James’ political motivations.
About a dozen residents spoke out against the proposal. Stacey Bonilla says she opposes it because it could cause extreme financial hardship to the county and residents.
“We cannot allow one man’s political grandstanding to do harm to our community,” Bonilla said.
Only one of the commissioners was absent for the vote, with the rest voting along party lines.
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