Hall introduces bill forcing sheriffs to cooperate with ICE | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is Alex Baltzegar.

    On Wednesday, Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, introduced a bill to require N.C. sheriffs to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) if they cannot confirm the citizenship status of someone in their custody accused of serious felonies and violent crimes.

    House Bill 10, "Require Sheriff Cooperation With ICE" is sponsored by Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, Rep. Brenden Jones, R-Columbus, Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, and Rep. Carson Smith, R-Pender.

    This bill is an effort to counter a small number of N.C. sheriffs who have stopped cooperating with ICE regarding illegal immigrants who have been charged with serious crimes.

    "It's sad that this small number of woke Sheriffs are actively choosing to place politics above public safety," said Hall. "Cooperating with ICE about illegal aliens charged with serious crimes in our state should be common-sense. Their decision to cut off communication with immigration officials only puts more innocent people and officers in harm's way."

    Governor Cooper vetoed a similar bill originating in the senate last year, calling it a law "about scoring political points and using fear to divide North Carolinians" in a statement.

    "North Carolina Sheriffs need to act in full cooperation with federal authorities," said Rep. Saine. "Allowing detained illegal aliens charged with serious crimes to walk free even though they have a federal deportation order against them shows a severe lack of judgment. We have seen case after case where these politically motivated policies have led to tragedies in our communities, and it has to stop."

    This year, Republicans have a supermajority in the state senate and are one vote shy in the state house, meaning it it more likely Republicans will be able to successfully override some of Governor Cooper's vetoes this year.

    Hall, an attorney from Granite Falls, N.C. was recently reappointed to be chairman of the Rules committee by Speaker Tim Moore. The Rules committee is the most powerful committee in the house, as it determines which bills move to the floor to be voted on by members.

    The bill, if passed, would become effective October 1, 2024.