Citizens and members of the Chatham Conservative Voice are standing up for the right to open government after a resolution was signed by commissioners, they say, without public input.

"A number of counties around here are participating in ICE why wouldn't we want to," Resident and CCV Member Donna Kelly said.

The resolution discourages the county sheriff's department from working with ICE or Immigration Customs Enforcement because they said the program is too expensive, it's ineffective and they believe that it will increase racial profiling.

The CCV organized a meeting inviting county commissioners and others who support the resolution to discuss the document with residents. But none of those officials, including Chairman of the Commission George Lucier, showed up.

"I had originally agreed to participate but since that time the meeting has been taken over by outside interests," Lucier said.

Commission Lucier said he decided not to go to the meeting because of hate mail and threats that he was receiving like an email that said "sleep soundly while you can".

But like the county officials those outside groups making threats didn't show up either. Chairman of the Democratic Party Carl Kachergis also decline an invite.

"I feel that this issue has been discussed in public forums numerous times. I don't feel like there is much more to be said about it," Kachergis said.

Lucier said the county must focus on other matters.

"This issue of immigration is a distraction from the big issues that face the county and the nation like building new schools," Lucier.

Resident and member of CCV Brian Bock disagrees.

"None of these issues are stand alone. As a safe haven community, the more illegal immigrants we have the more schools we're going to have to build and the more social security we're going to have to build," Bock said.

Although the commissioners say it's a done deal, those who attended the meeting are signing their own petition asking officials to withdraw the resolution.