Latest news with #LatinFest
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mayor of Monroe blames social media post for low attendance at Latin Festival
Low attendance at a Latin Fest in Monroe is causing controversy among residents and city leaders. 'I'm having a good time, but I miss my Spanish people,' one attendee said Sunday. 'I don't know what's going on, but this world needs to be in peace so everyone can reunite and be together.' ALSO READ: Group says increase of ICE arrests in Charlotte is leading to more calls for help Both the festivalgoer and Monroe's mayor, Robert Burns, noticed the lack of Hispanic people at the festival, but Burns blamed a social media post made on Facebook for the low turnout. The post said Monroe is not a safe place for immigrants, adding that attending the Latin Fest could place you and others in potential danger. 'I would challenge those individuals who post that type of stuff,' Burns said. 'You genuinely don't care about the Hispanic community, because that affected the businesses of our city. Regardless of what nationality they are, they are businesses and individuals who pour into this city.' The originators of the post, Monroe Immigrants, responded to the mayor in a statement to our partners at Telemundo. 'The City of Monroe needs to make capital from its Hispanic constituents; that's all they care about,' they said. 'The City of Monroe doesn't not care about anything except increasing the profits of capital.' In response, Burns said he was upset by the low turnout at the festival. 'We care about families, we care about the economy, low taxes, education,' he said. 'Not only was I surprised, I was hurt because the Hispanic community has had such an incredible effect on our city.' In May, Monroe City Council approved a statement about public safety and immigration enforcement, stating 'Monroe is not a sanctuary city.' City council passed an additional statement on Tuesday that removed that sentence and says Monroe Police do not enforce federal immigration law. Mayor Burns voted against last night's version. VIDEO: Bakery owner says ICE sparks fear in neighborhood, hurts local businesses
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Monroe community divided over city's stance on ICE amid protests in Los Angeles
MONROE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Anti-ICE protests are ramping up across the country, and local leaders are taking their own stances on immigration enforcement. Monroe City Council members talked about it at their meeting Tuesday night. There was a lot of disagreement on how to move forward. 'Look at what's happening in Los Angeles,' said one man who spoke during the public comment period. 'We don't want that here.' Two Union County high schools postpone graduations due to weather concerns People who live in Monroe are divided over the city's stance on immigration and customs enforcement amid protests in California, which prompted President Trump to call in thousands of National Guardsmen and hundreds of Marines to the city. 'It's time you take responsibility for your actions,' said another man, who spoke at Tuesday's meeting. 'People are afraid and it's not just because of a Facebook post. It's because of sneaky and carefully crafted proclamations like the ones passed in May.' The Monroe City Council passed a position statement on the topic last month, with Mayor Robert Burns taking to X, saying Monroe is 'not a sanctuary city and our officers comply with ice and federal immigration laws.' He took down the post later Tuesday night. The position allegedly sparked fear in the Hispanic community, so much so, the turnout at Monroe's Latin Fest this past weekend was very low. 'The lack of attendance during the festival was purposefully because people didn't feel safe in downtown Monroe,' said one woman who spoke during public comment. At Tuesday night's meeting, Councilmember Julie Thompson heard the concerns from people and brought forward a new position statement, aiming to leave out immigration all together and focus on general public safety. 'Monroe values the safety and well-being of all of its residents,' she said. 'We are proud of our dedicated police officers and first responders who work tirelessly to protect the community. We aim to make sure that everyone in Monroe is safe and secure in our city.' The statement passed, despite the mayor's 'no' vote. But the new statement will not replace the original one, which did include immigration enforcement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
