North Carolina Legislature Overrides Governor's Veto on Immigration Bill

In a significant political development, the North Carolina General Assembly has successfully overridden Governor Josh Stein's veto of House Bill 318, a contentious immigration measure.

The bill mandates that sheriffs across the state collaborate more closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), particularly amid the federal government's intensified deportation efforts.

The House achieved the necessary three-fifths majority with a 72-48 vote, notably aided by Representative Carla Cunningham, a Democrat from Mecklenburg County, who crossed party lines.

Rep. Cunningham emphasized the importance of assimilation for immigrants, stating, "All cultures are not equal. Some immigrants come and believe they can function in isolation. I suggest they must assimilate. Adapt to the country they want to live in."

Her decision to support the bill has sparked considerable backlash, with accusations of racism and other criticisms directed at her.

Addressing the criticism, Cunningham, who is African American, remarked, "They want me to be silent in my country. They want me to line up behind their priorities while my people and communities continue to struggle in our country."

Following the House's action, the Senate, holding a Republican supermajority, swiftly followed suit with a 30-19 party-line vote to override the veto.

House Bill 318 builds upon previous legislation by requiring local law enforcement to verify the immigration status of certain detainees.

If an individual is found to be in the U.S. illegally, they must be held in jail for at least 48 hours to allow ICE agents to initiate deportation proceedings.

The new law specifies that this 48-hour hold begins when the individual would otherwise be released, a provision Governor Stein has criticized as unconstitutional.

Governor Stein argued, "It would require sheriffs to unconstitutionally detain people for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released. The Fourth Circuit is clear that local law enforcement officers cannot keep people in custody solely based on a suspected immigration violation."

Additionally, the law expands the list of offenses triggering mandatory ICE detainers to include minor crimes such as impaired driving.

Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns about the level of cooperation between certain sheriffs and ICE.

The Department of Homeland Security has identified several North Carolina counties, including Buncombe, Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Watauga, as noncompliant sanctuary jurisdictions.

Senator Thom Tillis also includes Mecklenburg, Wake, Guilford, and Forsyth counties in this category.

The passage of House Bill 318 underscores the ongoing political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in North Carolina.

As the state grapples with these issues, the roles of local law enforcement and their collaboration with federal agencies remain at the forefront of the political discourse.