The North Carolina General Assembly is expected to vote on a veto override for two immigration bills this week, after Gov. Josh Stein vetoed them last month.
House Bill 318 would require sheriffs to hold undocumented people who have been arrested for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released, giving Immigration and Customs Enforcement more time to detain them. It also requires sheriffs to notify ICE at least two hours before releasing undocumented inmates.
Senate Bill 153 would require all state law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE. It also prohibits undocumented immigrants from receiving certain state-funded benefits.
Republicans still hold a supermajority in the North Carolina Senate, but not in the North Carolina House, meaning these veto overrides could be blocked. However, one House Democrat, Rep. Carla Cunningham, voted in favor of House Bill 318. It’s unclear how she’ll vote this time.
Advocates have been trying to sway her. America Juarez-Maldonado is Carolina Migrant Network’s policy coordinator. She gathered volunteers to knock on doors this weekend in Cunningham’s district in north Charlotte.
“In North Carolina, we still have that power to prevent bills that are very harmful to communities," Juarez-Maldonado said. "So even just showing up as alignment of how much power we still hold in North Carolina, it's important.”
Carolina Migrant Network hopes that constituents will persuade Cunningham to vote against both pieces of legislation.
