NEWS Release

U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick

House of Representative Seal
 

Representing North Carolina’s Ninth District                                                                        

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2006
Contact:  Andy Polk
(202) 225-1976
 

MYRICK FIGHTS FOR A NC IMMIGRATION COURT

 

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Representative Sue Myrick (NC-9), held a press conference regarding her battle to bring an immigration court to North Carolina.  She was joined by Reps. Walter Jones (NC-3), Virginia Foxx (NC-5), Patrick McHenry (NC-10), and Charles Taylor (NC-11).  Rep. Myrick’s prepared statement at the press conference can be found below.    

 Rep. Myrick believes that the creation of an immigration court located in North Carolina will address both the needs of the growing legal immigrant populations, and the litany of problems the state is experiencing with illegal aliens.  Currently, North Carolina is under the jurisdiction of the immigration court in Atlanta, Georgia.  This means that North Carolina doesn’t have the full tools and resources to deport illegal aliens in a expedited manner. 

 North Carolina’s illegal alien population is estimated at 300,000.  This makes North Carolina home to the nation’s 8th largest population of illegal aliens. Yet, of the ten states with the largest estimated populations of illegal aliens, North Carolina is the only one without an immigration court.  In addition, there are 16 other states with lower illegal alien populations, yet they have an immigration court (see chart here: http://www.myrick.house.gov/immigrationcourtstats.shtml). 

 Rep. Myrick sent the Department of Justice (DOJ) several letters requesting an immigration court.  She used research to argue that North Carolina needs an immigration court because of the growing number of foreign-born people coming to North Carolina (North Carolina had a 273.7% increase in foreign-born population between 1990 and 2000.)  In addition, she argued that North Carolina needed a court due to the 18% increased caseload Atlanta’s immigration court has experienced between 2003 and 2004, due in part to North Carolina’s growing illegal alien population (Atlanta’s increase came despite a static number in overall cases for the entire United States immigration court system during the same period of time.)  The DOJ denied Rep. Myrick’s request each time (see letters here: http://www.myrick.house.gov/immcourtletterstoDOJ.PDF)

 The public should note that in the coming weeks Rep. Myrick will be sitting down with immigration officials at the DOJ as well as the Department of Homeland Security and will present North Carolina’s case for an immigration court.  She will keep the public updated on the responses she receives.  (see additional facts here: http://www.myrick.house.gov/NCImmigrationCourtFactSheet.shtml)   

Rep. Myrick’s prepared remarks from today’s Press Conference:

I have called this press conference today to inform the public of my efforts to bring an immigration court to North Carolina.   

North Carolina has the 8th largest population of illegal aliens in the United States. 

We have an estimated 300,000 to 600,000 illegal aliens in our state  Yet, North Carolina does not have an immigration court of its own.

North Carolina is currently required to use the immigration court in Atlanta.

This means that, as we speak, NC local law enforcement agencies are releasing illegal aliens back onto the street with a note telling them to show up to their hearing at the immigration court in Atlanta Georgia. 

Do you think an illegal alien is going to show up to a court hearing on their legal status more than 4 hours away from Charlotte?  No Way! 

Because of the problems we are facing, I wrote to the Department of Justice and asked them to place an immigration court in North Carolina to help us deal with our illegal alien problems.

My request was denied. 

I was told North Carolina did not have the need for a court, that our immigration burden was not big enough yet,  that other states had a greater need.

Well, I didn’t like that answer, so I had my staff do some research.  What we found was shocking.

The Department of Justice stated that North Carolina was denied an immigration court because other states have a greater need.  Yet, my research shows that our need is greater than 16 other states who have been awarded immigration courts.

You can look at the chart titled “Why Not North Carolina” to see exactly what I’m talking about. 

Colorado has less illegal aliens than North Carolina.  Yet Colorado has an immigration court.

Georgia has less illegal aliens than North Carolina.  Yet Georgia has an immigration court.

Maryland has less illegal aliens than North Carolina.  Yet Maryland has an immigration court.

Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Connecticut, Minnesota, and Utah all have less illegal aliens than North Carolina yet each has an immigration court, and we don’t.

Louisiana with an estimated illegal alien population of 35,000 and Hawaii with an estimated illegal alien population of 20,000 both have immigration courts and we don’t.

Now I am no mathematician, but Louisiana has just 35,000 illegal aliens. 35,000! And North Carolina has 300,000 illegal aliens, and the Department of Justice tells me that other states have a greater need?!  

To me, it seems only logical to locate immigration courts in areas with large illegal immigrant populations.    

And in fact, there seem to be some people at the Department of Justice who agree with me.

During our research, my staff found a document issued by the US Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. 

The document is a Strategic Plan for 2005 thru 2010. 

In laymen’s terms, this document is telling the Department of Justice that it needs to change the way it allocates Immigration courts, because the courts are in the wrong place. 

It is saying courts need to be where the action is.

It is saying North Carolina needs its own immigration court!

With all the information my office has collected I plan on meeting with Immigration officials at the Department of Justice- face to face- to discuss bringing a court to North Carolina. 

And if I need to, I will meet with the Attorney General himself.

My hope is that they will look at the facts and statistics we have compiled and they will realize that we are being treated unfairly and they will give us a court.

In the coming weeks we will keep you informed of our progress, and the responses we are getting from the Department of Justice.

And with that, I want to introduce my colleagues who join me today in this fight to bring a court to North Carolina. 

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