Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Asheville City Councilman Cecil Bothwell wants to make Asheville a “sanctuary city” for undocumented workers. He’s pressing the issue despite acknowledging that the resolution he wants City Council to pass will have little actual impact. From the Asheville Citizen-Times:
Bothwell agreed that the proposal would have a limited impact because the Asheville Police Department already does not enforce federal immigration law, but passage of the proposal would send an important message to local immigrant populations, he said.
“I’d like to make it clear that this essentially endorses what is already Asheville city policy,” he said. “This isn’t actually anything particularly new. What I deem this to be is an educational effort, to let people in the community know they don’t need to be afraid of the police.”
Bothwell admits the proposal, which bars city employees from assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration law, is controversial, but he says he sees it as necessary, both from a civil liberties and public safety perspective.
“I hope so,” Bothwell said Tuesday when asked if Asheville would become a sanctuary city if his proposal is approved.
Here’s part of the response from Chad Nesbitt, the newly elected chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party:
In the next few days, watch the Buncombe County Democrat Party leadership very carefully. See how many of it’s leaders like Senator Martin Nesbitt, David Gantt, Susan Fisher, Sheriff Van Duncan, Heath Shuler and the Asheville City Council speak out against their friend Cecil Bothwell.
Advertising that Asheville is a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants will impact all of Western North Carolina. Not only will more jobs be lost in Buncombe County but the surrounding counties as well. It will increase drug trafficking, crime, and hospitals will overflow with illegal’s seeking free health care at the cost of the tax payers high insurance premiums.
So how do you put a stop to this?
Don’t call all these Politicians personally. Instead, go straight to the source. Go to where their money flows from. Make one phone call to the Buncombe County Democrat Headquarters at (828) 274-4482. Ask the volunteer that answers the phone if they care about your job and patch you through to their party Chairman. Tell their chairman their so called “party of the people” better listen to the people or their leaders will be out of a job come November!
Dude, I AM Latino and I don’t even like the sound of this.
Did he write a version en espanol to further his ‘educational effort’?
I love living in Asheville, but I get ticked off at least once aday at people’s lack of understanding about Latinos:: We don’t want to live next to Cholo gang members, and we don’t wanna get taxed to death putting them in prison. If you can deport them, do it! Democrats always fail to impress Latinos because their intentions are golden, but their experience lacks reality. Does Cecil speak Spanish? I didn’t see a version of his declaration en espanol anywhere. Can the moderator email me a link?
Hey, you know who needs to chime in? Let’s hear even ONE story about someone who looks like me getting deported by immigration even though they were citizens or residents, or were on student visas. Just ONE story!
Maybe you and Mark Sanford can go move to Argentina together.
For every Latino like me in Asheville maybe one nerdy politician can go live in South or Central America. You know, so the job thing will balance out and cultural awareness will increase.
Hey: That can be MY idea to make Asheville a better place.
Cmon hueros; I’ll help you dudes pack!
Chairman Chad Nesbitt of the Buncombe County REPUBLIC party needs to know the name of the other major political party in America. It is the DemocratIc Party, not the Democrat party. That’s if you want to speak from something other than party talking points.
Why is it the "creative" Asheville types endorse this kind of pointless posturing, distraction and neglect of public office. Instead of supporting and chearing this flagrant abuse, they should be kicking him out of the council seat he should never have been elected to. This is more of the rampant ego boosting nonsense that so many council members engage in rather than doing anything relating to city business and the job they were elected for.
Perhaps if we had a competant city manager, he would remind them of the duties of their office instead of enabling this abuse of power and waste of city resources that should be spent on managing the city. It’s not like everything is perfect in city hall giving them time to focus on their delusional personal agendas that are completely outside their authority to say the least.
He doesnt have one, No one on city council really cares if the average citizen has a job or not they only care about wasting tax payer money and Getting your vote.
Meanwhile, Mountain Xpress reports, "Asheville unemployment rate spikes to over 10 percent " What is Councilman Bothwell’s plan to combat unemployment and bring more high paying jobs to Asheville?
THIS must be the April’s Fool joke, right?