Appearing with relatives of a man killed in a wreck involving an illegal immigrant, U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.) yesterday called for local police to help enforce immigration laws and for making drunken driving a deportable offense, the Charlotte Observer says. “No more excuses,” Myrick said. “You’re drunk. You’re driving. You’re illegal. You’re deported. Period.”
Myrick also called for more immigration officers in North Carolina and higher fines for employers who hire illegal immigrants. She threatened to try to cut off federal transportation money to North Carolina if it continues to issue driver’s licenses using an alternative ID common among undocumented immigrants. Myrick called “The Scott Gardner Act,” named after a teacher killed last month when his car was hit by a truck driven an illegal immigrant from Mexico who had been charged with driving while impaired five times in five years. “If you’re looking at the system in terms of the laws, it’s broken, and I don’t think many people would disagree with that,” said Victor Cerda, former acting director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Detention and Removal Office. “It’s broken in terms of the process, and in terms of the resources.” At the heart of Myrick’s bill are proposals to make sure immigration status and court records are available to law enforcement agencies.
Link: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/12393221.htm