The North Carolina House on Wednesday overrode Gov. Josh Stein’s vetoes of four bills requiring greater state cooperation with ICE and banning DEI in public schools and universities.
N.C. House Rep. Jordan Lopez, who represents eastern Mecklenburg County, joined WFAE’s Julian Berger to discuss the measures.
Julian Berger: Jordan, walk me through the four bills whose vetoes were overridden yesterday.
Rep. Jordan Lopez: We overrode 4 bills yesterday in the North Carolina House. Three of them had to do with diversity, anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, one being HB171, SB 227 and SB558. Each of those kind of target different levels of the government to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion. One is from local governments or any public institution, really from having policies that are geared to or that could be construed as diversity, equity and inclusion. The other is removing diversity, equity, and inclusion from public education. And the last is removing diversity, equity and inclusion from higher education. The final bill that we overrode was SB153. This was another anti-immigrant bill. It was one that requires state law enforcement. So think the State Highway Patrol, the State Bureau of Investigation, or the Department of Adult Corrections officers. They require them to cooperate with ICE and essentially do the job of federal immigration officers for them.
Berger: What was your reaction to the House overriding these vetoes?
Lopez: Before members that lost their primaries in March, we had 49 seats, meaning we really only ever had one vote that we could lose in order to not be in the super minority again. When the members decided to leave the caucus after they lost their elections and then the third decided he didn't leave the caucus, but he just hasn't been a part of anything since March. It became a matter of when, instead of if, these vetoes would be overwritten. And so it was always in the back of our minds. It was something that we tried to show up prepared and ready for every single day we were in Raleigh, because if we didn't have the numbers and they did, then we could see those votes come up. But it still catches you off guard.
Berger: Republicans say these bills are about fairness and public safety. Why do you oppose that viewpoint?
Lopez: Because they're not about fairness. This anti-diversity, equity and inclusion culture war, tirade, really, that Republicans have been on for the past two years, follows the same playbook that we've seen at the federal government by the Trump administration, where anything that can be rooted in dividing people is going to be brought to the forefront. Making folks think that diversity, equity and inclusion policies are giving Black and brown folks an unfair advantage or an unearned advantage. And whether it be the workplace or anywhere else, is a myth that Republicans have created essentially to further divide this country. Passing these bills did not make anybody's life easier yesterday. Nobody's electricity bill is going down. Nobody's rent is becoming more affordable. Nobody's wages are going up. We still don't have a budget. It's a distraction.
Berger: On the anti-DEI bills, what do you think the impact will be for public schools and universities?
Lopez: I think the impact that these bills are going to have on public schooling across North Carolina is a chilling effect on what gets discussed in a classroom. We already know, especially pertaining to Black history, that there are a lot of topics that are left out of the classroom. And our history at times has been hurtful and it has hurt a lot of people. And we need to understand that to ensure that we are building a better future as we move forward. And so I fear and worry that this will have a chilling effect on what topics get discussed in our classrooms, ultimately harming our students' ability to have a whole comprehensive understanding of our country's history.
Berger: On Senate Bill 153, the immigration bill, what do you think immigrant families in Mecklenburg County should understand about what just became law?
Lopez: I would want immigrant families to know that essentially what we did yesterday in the State House is going to mirror a lot of what you have heard and probably have come to understand about House Bill 318. That was overwritten into law last year. However, we have a governor who is dedicated to ensuring that everybody is treated fairly and treated equally, and cannot run afoul of state law. And this was overwritten without his signature. And so I know that there is not much that he can do now to push back on the law itself, but he can ensure that the state highway patrol is enforcing this law fairly, that they're not going after folks indiscriminately and unjustly and would just ensure people to be on the lookout. And if you see something wrong, if you see somebody being mistreated, please document that and let people know.
