A Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners committee met Thursday to discuss the local impact of federal immigration policies.
The Intergovernmental Relations Committee met at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center to learn about recent federal and state actions regarding immigration enforcement.
Immigration attorney Jamilah Espinosa shared recent actions taken by the Trump administration, such as strengthening border enforcement, terminating legal statuses and revoking student visas.
Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office Counsel J. George Guise then reported on Sheriff Garry McFadden’s stance on ICE cooperation and how he is complying with new laws requiring sheriffs to cooperate with the agency.
Robert Nesbit of the county’s Department of Health and Human Services detailed which benefits undocumented immigrants can receive through the county and what benefits they do not receive due to their status.
Commissioners then asked questions about immigration and how recent actions impact Mecklenburg County.
“As one of the very few Latino elected officials in Mecklenburg County, it’s really important to me to learn all I can,” Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell said. “To me, these questions and these issues are about real people — like thousands of real people in our community.”
Rodriguez-McDowell said she’s unsure how commissioners can push back against federal and state action during this time but believes awareness is a step in the right direction.
