The immigrant population in North Carolina has boomed during the last two decades. Between 1990 and 2014, it grew from 1.7 to 7.6 percent of the state's population. The Brookings Institute declared Charlotte a "major emerging immigrant gateway", due to the fact that between 2000 and 2010 the city's immigrant population approximately doubled in size. 

Immigrant workers are crucial to the growth of the North Carolina economy. Not only do immigrants offer invaluable skills in agriculture, construction, and manual labor, but they are also successful in many other realms. In 2014, 7.9 percent of North Carolina immigrants owned their own businesses, as compared with 5.6 percent of native North Carolinians. In 2012, Asian- and Latino-owned businesses generated more than $13.5 billion in sales and employed more than 79,000 people.

President-elect Donald Trump has doubled down on his campaign promise to deport up to three million immigrants. In response to this threat, Mayor Betsy Hodges of Minneapolis, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York, Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, and Mayor Ed Murray of Seattle, among others, have declared that their cities will remain "sanctuary cities" for immigrant populations. This promise indicates that these mayors will do everything they can to protect immigrant residents from deportation, despite threats of withdrawal of federal funds.

We will ask Mayor Jennifer Roberts to promise protections for the immigrant residents of Charlotte, North Carolina. We cannot place the burden of deportation on our local law enforcement officials, and we cannot jeopardize the relationships which we have built within our own diverse communities. We must take action to show the immigrant population of Charlotte that we value its presence in our city and that we are invested in its safety and wellbeing.