The Hispanic Federation, a national advocacy group, held a daylong hearing Wednesday in Charlotte to document the effects of federal immigration enforcement in North Carolina.
More than 25 people, including immigrants directly affected by enforcement, business owners, nonprofit leaders, attorneys and elected officials, testified about immigration enforcement's effects on families, schools and workplaces.
The hearing included panels on last November’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection's operation in Charlotte, ongoing enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the economic impact of immigration enforcement.
Hispanic Federation President Frankie Miranda said the group aims to establish a record.
“We're here to make sure that we preserve these testimonies, that we preserve these stories, and that we demand accountability once a new U.S. Congress is put in place starting next year,” Miranda said.
The Hispanic Federation hosted the hearing with national and local nonprofit groups. It was the sixth in a series of hearings in cities that include Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Dallas.
