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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> Resolution Supporting Orange County Immigrant Workers <br /> WHEREAS, immigrant workers are increasingly essential to filing a wide range of <br /> jobs in Orange County, North Carolina; and <br /> WHEREAS, employed undocumented workers pay federal, state, and local <br /> taxes, including Social Security and Medicare; and <br /> WHEREAS, the buying power of undocumented workers is substantial, with the <br /> buying power of Latinos in North Carolina exceeding $2.3 billion (as documented <br /> by the North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development, Inc.); and <br /> WHEREAS, national immigration policy is in conflict with our current workforce <br /> needs; and <br /> WHEREAS, recent changes in Social Security Administration practices have <br /> resulted in dozens of immigrants losing their jobs in Orange County and <br /> throughout the state; and <br /> WHEREAS, local governments bear the significant infrastructure and operational <br /> costs of providing services to all their residents; and <br /> WHEREAS, not providing a legal means of working and living in this country <br /> creates a black market for documents which threatens national security and the <br /> personal welfare of immigrants; <br /> NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of <br /> Commissioners agree to: <br /> 1) Encourage County staff to work with local non-profit service <br /> organizations to establish a "safety net" for local unemployed workers <br /> and their families; <br /> 2) Co-sponsor an upcoming forum on Latinos, "El Dilema Latino: Seeking <br /> Local Solutions," convened by the Chapel Hill News and tentatively <br /> scheduled for the evening of May 1 st; and <br /> 3) Call upon the United States Government to reform immigration laws in <br /> order to provide undocumented immigrants with legal permission to <br /> work and live in our community and institute a long-term immigration <br /> policy that addresses the economic and national security needs of the <br /> United States. <br /> This the 16th day of April 2002 <br /> Barry Jacobs, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />