North Carolina to override Dem veto calling for cooperation with ICE while Trump calls for agency reform
North Carolina legislators are gearing up to overrule Governor Roy Cooper’s block on legislation requiring local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE. This move comes as President-elect Trump’s choice for “border czar,” former ICE Director Thomas Homan, has expressed support for mass deportation and stricter enforcement measures.
The bill, which has been stalled for five years, includes provisions for state-federal cooperation and additional funding for school vouchers. Despite Governor Cooper’s veto, Republicans in the state House are expected to take up the veto override vote on Tuesday. State Rep. Destin Hall clarified that the bill only applies to individuals who have committed serious felonies or violent misdemeanors and does not authorize law enforcement to actively seek out illegal immigrants.
The GOP’s ability to override the executive branch may be at risk, as they have lost their three-fifths majority in the state House by one seat after the recent election. However, they still hold the majority in the Senate. The governorship will remain in Democratic hands, with current Attorney General Joshua Stein set to succeed Cooper.
Governor Cooper has criticized the bill as unconstitutional and a misuse of local resources, accusing it of being a political tactic to sow fear and division among North Carolinians. The ACLU of North Carolina has also condemned the legislation, stating that it undermines the authority of local sheriffs and contributes to a harmful deportation pipeline.
During the previous Trump administration, some law enforcement agencies in North Carolina resisted federal immigration policies. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden terminated the county’s agreement with ICE, and sheriffs in other jurisdictions publicly opposed the bill.
Former ICE Director Homan has warned that if localities like New York City do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, he will increase the presence of federal agents in those areas. Republicans are expected to maintain their supermajority for a brief session next week, but will need bipartisan support to override any potential veto from Governor Stein in 2025.
As the political landscape in North Carolina shifts, the debate over immigration enforcement and cooperation with federal authorities continues to be a contentious issue. The upcoming legislative session will likely see further clashes between Democrats and Republicans on this front.
