Governor Roy Cooper today vetoed legislation state lawmakers approved yesterday to require local sheriffs to cooperate with federal authorities in immigration enforcement efforts.Speaking to reporters earlier this week, the Democratic Governor described the legislation as unnecessary.
“We already have laws on the books that allow us to put in jail dangerous people regardless of immigration status,” Cooper said.
During his first two years in office, Cooper vetoed 28 bills. Republican lawmakers voted to override 23 of those measures. Since Democrats broke supermajorities last November, the Governor has thus far been able to sustain all four of the vetoes he has issued this year.
Cooper has raised numerous issues with the bill during the past several weeks.
“I fear this legislation is going to be used for political purposes to try and [to] divide us,” Cooper said. “Our sheriffs are constitutional offices – they have to make decisions about how to deploy local resources, and I trust sheriffs to make those decisions.”