House immigration committee to conduct forum in Joplin Thursday

Nevada Daily Mail

This Thursday, on the Missouri Southern State University campus in Joplin, Missouri State Rep. Ed Emery, and 15 other legislators on the House Special Committee on Immigration Reform hope to glean information from local citizens on the impact of immigration-related issues in southwest Missouri.

The meeting will be begin at 10 a.m., in the Billingsly Student Center, Room 310. Anyone may testify at the forum. Those wishing to testify are urged to contact Emery's Jefferson City office at (573) 751-2165. Requests may also be sent via e-mail, to Ed.Emery@house.mo.gov.

"We just want to be available. We want to hear what people know about immigration in the state -- both legal and illegal -- and what they recommend we do to move Missouri in the right direction. Next session, we need to go back and address this issue. But we need to address it with concrete facts and with a real understanding of the status of immigration in Missouri."