HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2007-008 Opposition to a Memorandum of Understanding with Immigration & Customs Enforcement Local Law Enforcement to Enforce Civil Immigration Lawsi~~',S'-- VDU ~- do c~
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS (~ ~
A Resolution Opposing the Use of Local Law Enforcement
to Enforce Civil Immigration Law and Policy
WHEREAS, Orange County is committed to the human and civil rights of its residents and to
-actions that preserve and protect those rights; and
WHEREAS, Orange County is home to a diverse population, including people of color,
documented and undocumented immigrants, citizens and non-citizens, whose contributions to
the community are vital to its character and function; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners is committed to upholding the civil rights of all persons
in Orange County and the enjoyment of any and all rights and privileges secured by the
constitutions and the laws of the United States, the State of North Carolina, and Orange County;
and
WHEREAS, actions taken by the federal, state and local governments, including the adoption of
sections of Senate Bill 1523, otherwise known as the North Carolina General Assembly's 2006
Technical Corrections Bill, now threaten the rights and freedoms of portions of Orange County's
population; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1523 permits local government to enter into a memorandum of
agreement with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs
Enforcement to have law enforcement deputized to enforce civil immigration law and policy; and
WHEREAS, three (3) local governments, Mecklenberg, Alamance and Buncombe Counties, have
chosen to enter into these voluntary memoranda; and
WHEREAS, jurisdictions that have entered into these memoranda of agreement have
experienced increased violence against Latino/Hispanic communities and increased incidents of
reported racial profiling against people of color communities; and
WHEREAS, Orange County government upholds the Constitution of the United States and
federal and state laws and does not stand in defiance of those laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Orange County Board of Commissioners does hereby resolve:
Section 1. That we commit not to enter into a memorandum of agreement with Homeland Security to
enforce immigration laws or take any other action that might result in racial profiling or create a climate
of fear and hostility for any community in the County.
Section 2. That we encourage Orange County municipal governments to refuse to enter into
memoranda of agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to enforce immigration laws.
Section 3. That this resolution be forwarded to all Orange County law enforcement agencies, locally
elected officials and to our state and federal legislative delegations on behalf of the residents of Orange
County.
This the 23`d day of January 2007.
Moses Carey, Chair
Orange County Board of C issioners