Whether it is discussed in the context of homeland security, economic implications, or allegations of racism, the issue of immigration is a perennial hot-button topic. Though much of the debate and discussion takes place at the national level as various “talking heads” argue the merits of guest-worker programs versus fence-building initiatives, the task of actually dealing with immigration on a tangible scale most often falls to city and town governments. Local officials, not federal immigration officers, bear the burden of dealing with the problems presented by an influx of undocumented workers. While some local governments or citizens have attempted to “round up” illegal immigrants and report them to the nearest Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) branch office, or have simply tried to run illegal immigrants out of town, not all municipalities choose such harsh tactics. Factors such as lack of adequate law enforcement, feared economic disruption, and simple human compassion have compelled some municipalities to seek alternative methods of addressing the problems created by growing immigrant populations.