Mayors of Chapel Hill and Carrboro have issued statements to each municipality following a controversial executive order from President Donald Trump.
Protests erupted across the country, including Chapel Hill, over the weekend and university administrators issued guidance to students and faculty from impacted countries after the executive order restricted travel from seven predominately Muslim countries.
Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle said the town “prides itself on being a diverse and inclusive community.” Lavelle added Carrboro has “many immigrant residents who contribute greatly to the spirit and fabric of our town.”
Lavelle encouraged residents that town officials are “committed to looking out for the safety of all of our residents and we resolve to continue lawfully and compassionately doing so.”
Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger also issued a statement on Monday touting the town’s history of being home to “immigrants from around the world.”
“Whether they have come here to be part of the faculty and student body at UNC, to pursue the American dream or to escape the ravages of war in their home country, each contributes to the richness and vitality of our community,” Hemminger wrote.
She added the executive order “does not reflect who was are as a community or as a nation.”
Hemminger wrote that the executive order is “creating a great deal of uncertainty and fear for many who live, work and learn here.”
You can read the full statement from Lavelle below:
Carrboro, North Carolina prides itself on being a diverse and inclusive community. We have many immigrant residents who contribute greatly to the spirit and fabric of our town. As town officials, we are committed to looking out for the safety of all of our residents, and we resolve to continue lawfully and compassionately doing so.
You can read the full statement from Hemminger below:
Throughout our history, the Town of Chapel Hill has been fortunate to be home to immigrants from around the world. Whether they have come here to be part of the faculty and student body at UNC, to pursue the American dream or to escape the ravages of war in their home country, each contributes to the richness and vitality of our community. We will continue to welcome them.
The Executive Order on Immigration does not reflect who we are as a community or as a nation. It is creating a great deal of uncertainty and fear for many who live, work and learn here. To them we reaffirm our strong commitment to ensuring that Chapel Hill is a safe and welcoming place for everyone.
We are grateful to those in our community who are asking how they can help. We encourage all our residents to reach out to friends or colleagues who may be struggling at this time and to continue to advocate, on their behalf, to our elected leaders in Washington.
Working closely with our peers, we will be doing the same.
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