In a bold move that underscores the conservative commitment to law and order, North Carolina's Republican-majority legislature has successfully overridden a veto by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper to pass a bill that effectively outlaws sanctuary policies.
The legislation, known as House Bill 10 (HB 10), was passed in a 30-19 vote in the Senate on Wednesday, following its approval by the House the previous day.
According to The Blaze, HB 10 mandates county sheriffs to honor detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), thereby holding illegal immigrants for up to 48 hours to facilitate their transfer to federal custody. The bill also broadens the list of alleged offenses, including felonies and certain serious misdemeanors, that necessitate a check of an individual's immigration status.
The legislation also includes provisions for increasing private school voucher funding, a measure that Governor Cooper has staunchly opposed. In his September veto of the bill, Cooper asserted, "Private school vouchers are the biggest threat to public schools in decades." He also expressed his opposition to the bill's immigration enforcement measures, stating, "I've vetoed the sheriff's (portion of the bill) a number of times. Obviously, I'm still opposed to that."
However, some Democratic lawmakers have argued that the bill places an undue burden on sheriffs. Representative Abe Jones (D-Wake) urged, "Tell ICE to do ICE's work," adding, "Our sheriffs have enough work to do without doing ICE work for free."
In contrast, Senate leader Phil Berger (R) and the North Carolina GOP have championed the bill as a "common sense" measure. Berger questioned why any law enforcement officer would deny their community the safety provided by the bill's provisions. A GOP spokesperson echoed this sentiment, stating, "Requiring Sheriffs to cooperate with ICE while over 10 million illegal immigrants have poured across the Southern border is a common sense measure to help keep North Carolina safe."
The North Carolina Sheriff's Association has expressed its support for the bill, although some counties, including Wake, Durham, and Orange, have voiced opposition to cooperating with ICE agents. Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe reiterated his commitment to public safety and collaboration, expressing concerns about the impacts of the law.
As the legislation is set to take effect on December 1, it remains to be seen how these new measures will shape the landscape of immigration enforcement and education funding in North Carolina. The passage of HB 10 underscores the ongoing conservative commitment to upholding law and order, safeguarding communities, and promoting individual freedom through educational choice.
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