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Charlotte Talks: City Trying To Bridge Gap With Immigrants

Tom Bullock
/
WFAE

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

City hall has been studying how it can forge a better relationship with Charlotte's immigrant community. As the process of coming up with recommendations nears completion, Mike Collins talks with those involved in the city's effort.

Fear swept through Charlotte’s immigrant community earlier this year amid stepped-up federal immigration operations, and activists demanded action from city leaders.

Mayor Vi Lyles’ response was to form a committee to listen to immigrants’ concerns, and find ways to make the city more inclusive for its foreign-born residents — a group that makes up 13 percent of Charlotte’s population.

That task fell to the city’s first-ever immigration and integration manager – Federico Rios. In addition to navigating the current unease, he’s also working on recommendations from an earlier task force for integrating immigrants into the broader community.

GUESTS

Federico Rios, City of Charlotte, Immigrant and Integration Manager (@FedericoRiosCLT)

Larken Egleston, Charlotte City Council, chair of the Immigrant Community Committee (@Larken)

Emily Yaffe, City of Charlotte, International Relations Specialist

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