North Carolina House Republicans have pushed through legislation requiring all county sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration agents, particularly by complying with written requests to hold defendants.
The House voted 63-51 on Wednesday to force sheriffs to fulfill Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests. They give agents up to 48 hours to pick up suspects on the belief they are in the country unlawfully. The measure now goes to the Senate.
The GOP bill responds to recent decisions by newly elected sheriffs — all of them Democrats — to pull back on working with ICE agents. Bill supporters say the measure protects communities and keeps criminals off streets.
But Democrats say the proposal is politically motivated. The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association came out in opposition to it earlier Wednesday.
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