(The Center Square) – In concert with Monday’s presidential executive orders related to immigration, North Carolina’s senior senator has plans for proactive legislation in Washington.
Back home in Raleigh, the speaker of the state House of Representatives is leading Republicans against 10 bills filed by Democrats that include what Rep. Destin Hall’s party calls “efforts to shield illegal criminals and push divisive, economy-wrecking policies.”
Second-term Republican President Donald Trump on Monday directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to publicly list state and local law enforcement agencies obstructing “enforcement of federal immigration laws.” Nine counties are highlighted on a map from Republican Sen. Thom Tillis – Buncombe, Watauga, Mecklenburg, Forsyth, Guilford, Chatham, Orange, Durham and Wake – that he says “refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement and instead shield dangerous criminal illegals. I’ll soon introduce legislation to hold these sanctuary jurisdictions accountable.”
Money is the preferred leverage of the Trump administration. On Day 1 of his second term, he directed a hold on federal funding tied to law enforcement jurisdictions and immigration; Monday’s action was similar.
An announcement from the state House Republicans against the bills filed by Democrats comes against the backdrop of the Grand Old Party holding a 71-49 majority in their chamber. The Senate is 30-20 Republicans.
Among the 10 bills in the announcement are attempts at limiting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do its jobs at churches, schools, hospitals, farms and construction sites.
Prohibit LEO w/ICE Churches/Schools/Hospitals, known also as House Bill 78, was parked in the Rules Committee the day after its Feb. 10 introduction. Immigration enforcement could not be done in “places of religious worship, elementary and secondary schools, and hospitals.” Primary sponsors are Democratic Reps. Renee Price of Orange County, Deb Butler of New Hanover County, Pricey Harrison of Guilford County and Maria Cervania of Wake County.
All but Butler are in counties noted by Tillis.
The foursome is also pushing Prohibit LEO w/ICE at Farm/Construct. Sites, known also as House Bill 80. This proposal would prohibit immigration enforcement “on North Carolina farmland and construction sites.” It, too, was immediately parked in the Rules Committee chaired by Wayne County Republican Rep. John Bell.
In one of the counties Tillis pointed out, the Atlanta office of Enforcement and Removal Operations said Wednesday a 63-year-old illegally in the country was arrested in Raleigh after serving a 10-year sentence for first-degree murder.
Two others were spotlighted in the last two weeks. The Charlotte office of Homeland Security Investigations on April 19 said it arrested a Venezuelan that is suspected of being a “foot soldier” in the notorious Tren de Argua gang. An April 16 announcement said a 41-year-old Mexican was arrested April 9 in Sanford and charged with kidnapping and rape of a 14-year-old.
