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ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: April 16, 2001 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. (� p <br /> SUBJECT: Support of Immigrant Workers <br /> DEPARTMENT: Economic Development PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Draft Resolution Dianne Reid, ext. 2326 <br /> Article from North Carolina Business <br /> TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br /> Hillsborough 732-8181 <br /> Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br /> Durham 688-7331 <br /> Mebane 336-227-2031 <br /> PURPOSE: To recognize the critical role of immigrant workers as employees of local <br /> businesses and consumers of local goods and services and to support immigration reform <br /> efforts. <br /> BACKGROUND: During the 1990s, large numbers of immigrant workers moved into Orange <br /> County to take a wide range of unskilled and semi-skilled jobs, particularly in the retail, <br /> construction, and service sectors. According to the 2000 Census, Latinos made up 4.5 percent <br /> of the county population, or approximately 5,300 people. <br /> Over the past few months, the Social Security Administration has been sending "no match" <br /> letters to local employers, informing them that Social Security taxes that have been withheld for <br /> some of their Latino employees do not coincide with valid social security numbers. As a result, <br /> several local businesses have dismissed those workers out of concern that they might be <br /> violating federal law. <br /> The dismissed employees, most of whom have family members here, now face severe <br /> economic insecurity and are turning in increasing numbers to various service providers for help <br /> in meeting basic needs for food and shelter. Alex Asbun, Executive Director of El Centro <br /> Latino, estimates that 50 percent of all Orange County Latino residents have been impacted by <br /> the layoffs, either personally or through a family member. Mr. Asbun will make a brief <br /> presentation to the Board and discuss strategies for improving the current situation. <br /> The attached resolution calls for three actions by the Board of County Commissioners in <br /> support of local immigrant workers: <br /> • Working in partnership with non-profit organizations to establish a "safety net" for <br /> unemployed workers; <br /> • Co-sponsoring an upcoming forum on Latinos in our community, tentatively scheduled <br /> for the evening of May 1 at the ArtsCenter; and <br />