Greenville, NC- AMEXCAN calls on Governor Roy Cooper to veto SB 101. AMEXCAN urges the Governor to assume a firm attitude and supports the migrant community because every day Mexicans and Latinos drastically contribute to the economic, social, and cultural development of North Carolina. Not only will SB 101 critically harm the migrant community but also the economy and well-being of the state.
Moreover, AMEXCAN is sick and tired of legislators and anti-immigrant legislation that only serves political and electoral purposes. “We need to end this political game that legislators are playing at the expense of migrants,” says AMEXCAN Executive Director Juvencio Rocha-Peralta. “It is a game that legislators have been and will keep playing that keeps tormenting and harming migrants meanwhile putting their blatant racism on display,” he adds.
Therefore, AMEXCAN joins other migrant defense organizations and business leaders in asking Roy Cooper to oppose Senate Bill 101. It is inadmissible that in this day in age, there are legislators who promote racial discrimination laws, such as SB 101, which requires local law enforcement to carry out the duties of federal authorities, such as arrests requested by ICE.
If this law is approved, the Mexican and Latino community will live in fear of harassment from local police forces. SB 101 will have a massive impact on businesses, the supply chain, and all levels of the North Carolina economy. The local police are there to provide safety and security to the community, not to execute discriminatory immigration laws that violate human rights.
Migrants are the engine of the economy. They are the ones who carry the agricultural commerce, drive the countryside produce industry, and sustain a myriad of essential businesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mexican and Latino workers risked their lives in workplaces to support the community. Thousands of Mexican and Latino laborers were infected, and many died.
Thus, it is imperative that Governor Cooper vetoes SB 101 to protect the well-being of the Mexican and Latino community and North Carolina.
