Alabama city council abruptly boots residents inquiring about immigrant arrivals: 'This meeting is over'

Sylacauga, Alabama, residents were abruptly booted from a recent city council meeting after several asked questions about the uptick in illegal immigrants resettling in the area.

Approximately 20 minutes into last week's meeting, Sylacauga City Council President Tiffany Nix demanded the meeting come to an end after three locals raised concerns about Haitian nationals moving to the city.

'You're treating them like lawful U.S. citizens, which they are not.'

The first resident asked, "I would like to know how they were vetted."

"Was everyone vetted? Where are they located?" she continued. "It's said that they have work visas, but the work visas show that the company that they work for is not — it's not a factory that we have here."

"Who's heading up watching over this situation? What information can you give me about this situation? I'm just concerned," she added.

Nix responded, stating that "unfortunately," the city council does not have information to provide the public about the new arrivals.

"We just don't have any information on it," Nix said. "We just know that they are here legally."

Councilman Ashton Fowler also chimed into the conversation, telling the resident, "This is above us. We found out when everybody found out."

Fowler noted that he had met some of the Haitian nationals when they started attending his church.

"The ones at church with me are great people," he said. "That's the only interaction I've had with them. I know that there's more than that here in town."

"As far as knowing how they got here and what their deal is, we're left out of the loop just as you. That goes way high up," Fowler told the resident.

Nix claimed there was "no reason" for the city council to investigate the situation because "no crime has been committed."

Councilwoman Laura Barlow Heath told the concerned local that she has attempted to reach out to state and federal leaders for additional information.

A second resident asked the city council members why they do not have information about immigrants being bused into the area.

"We see the stuff on Facebook and social media just like you have. We have no knowledge," Nix replied.

The resident asked why the city council members had not reached out to someone to gather information about the busing situation.

"With all due respect, has anybody seen anybody get bused in here?" Nix questioned. "It's hearsay. But that's the thing, people are posting stuff on social media and people are saying things that they don't know anything about. Nobody has seen any of those things happen."

The resident responded, "But I also went by where they're living, some of them. And they're just sitting around outside. They're not working."

"But what's wrong with that?" Nix asked.

"They supposedly came here to work," the resident replied.

One of the city council members claimed that the foreign nationals could be working night shifts somewhere.

"I wasn't going to comment on this, but I am now because I feel like I need to," Nix said. "I want to welcome anybody to Sylacauga that wants to come to Sylacauga."

"That's how I feel about it. If people aren't breaking the law, they're not causing any problems, I don't see what the issue is," she added.

Later, during the meeting, a third resident, David Phillips, started to raise the immigration issue again but did not get far into his statements before Nix cut him off.

"The attitude of the council throughout this process is entirely unacceptable," he stated. "You're treating them like lawful U.S. citizens, which they are not."

"I'm going to cut it off," Nix retorted, referring to ending the meeting. "We have no reason to want an investigation or treat people differently because of how they look. There's no reason for it."

Phillips responded, "Who said that?"

Barlow Heath told Nix that residents were raising "valid concerns."

"How are they valid concerns, Laura?" Nix asked.

"We're done," Nix declared. "I'm going to ask all of you to leave because this meeting is over."

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Phillips stated that he was "a little shocked" the city council ended the meeting.

"I've seen some crazy things at the city council meetings in the past, but that was sort of egregious even for them," he told the news outlet. "In this country, we were designed to be able to [have] ... basic fundamental free speech. ... That's the whole point of public comment. That's what they build into the meeting. That's why there's a podium there with a microphone so the people can ask questions. And she just blew that all up."

Nix did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

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