(The Center Square) – Faith-based institutions, schools and hospitals have been proposed as sanctuaries statewide in North Carolina in response to the increased arrests, detainers and warrants served since Jan. 20 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The bill is in the state House of Representatives. A day after its first reading, it moved to the Committee on Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House where it likely will rest in peace away from the full Republican majority chamber.
Democratic Reps. Maria Cervania of Wake County, Pricey Harrison of Guilford County, Deb Butler of New Hanover County and Renee Price of Orange County led sponsorship of Prohibit LEO w/ICE Churches/Schools/Hospitals. The bill would “prohibit law enforcement agencies and officers from participating in immigration enforcement in North Carolina places of religious worship, elementary and secondary schools, and hospitals.”
Two parts of Section 1 in the legislation intrigue. In one, “Any current or future memorandum, agreement, or contract made between a criminal justice agency or sheriff’s office and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall be void to the extent that the performance of the memorandum, agreement, or contract would violate subsection (a) of this section.”
And, “Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit criminal justice agencies, sheriffs’ offices, criminal justice officers, or justice officers from enforcing the laws of this state to the extent authorized by the law.”
Require ICE Cooperation & Budget Adjustments became law Nov. 20 through a gubernatorial veto override. The state’s 100 sheriffs, according to the new law, are to hold suspects believed to have illegally entered or be illegally living in the United States. The detainer is up to 48 hours, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is to be notified.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has posted to social media bountiful information on arrests and pending removals labeled “the worst first” since Jan. 20, the final half-day of former President Joe Biden’s policies inviting immigration through alternative means into the United States. By Jan. 31, ICE had touted 8,276 arrests and 6,577 detainers lodged.