Controversial immigration bill inches closer to becoming law in North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- In what would be the third attempt to push an immigration-related bill into law, House Bill 10 successfully made its way out of the Senate Rules and Operations Committee on Wednesday morning.

"It is amazing that we have to have a bill like this," said NCGOP spokesperson Matt Mercer. "It seems to be common sense that law enforcement should cooperate with one another."

HB10, if passed, would require local sheriffs to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if and when they arrest someone and determine they are living in the United States unlawfully.

"While some on the left including Attorney General Josh Stein and a few Democratic sheriffs pretend sanctuary policies aren't real, this bill is a common sense step to ensure our streets remain safe," added Mercer.

Within the bill's language, arrestees would have to remain in local custody for 48 hours, with the exclusion of holidays and weekends, and they legally cannot be held any longer. ICE would then either receive custody of the arrestee or it would rescind the detainer.

It's a move that is stirring fear within communities of color.

"North Carolina does not have to be a state where immigrants feel this way," said Lela Ali, co-founder of Muslim Women For. "We listened to legislators who attempted to pass this bill say this bill with make North Carolinians more safe and will only target people with serious crimes. But we know that is a lie."

"President Biden has left states to fend for themselves with his reckless open border policies. Ensuring ICE can detain illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes is a step in the right direction and we fully support this bill," added Mercer.

Opponents to the bill, which include organization El Pueblo, are prepared for the bill to become law once the Senate passes it and legislators override Governor Roy Cooper's expected veto of the legislation.

"It's a hateful bill. They paint it as something positive for community members. You know, making it sound like communities will be safer, but the actual implementation of the bill is not what it's supposed to be," said El Pueblo executive director Iliana Santillan. "And the sentiment that it sends children, they're always having to fear their parents coming home, scared of police officers, and they immediately worry about their parents being taken away. So even though they claim this bill is positive and supports our community, it absolutely does not."

Meanwhile, Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe is publicly against HB10.

In a statement obtained by ABC11, Sheriff Rowe said, "As Sheriff of Wake County, I want to make it clear that I oppose House Bill 10 (HB 10). This bill hinders the Sheriff's Office's ability to build relationships with the community and takes away authority from the Sheriff to set local law enforcement priorities. The bill will prohibit jails from releasing individuals on bail- even if they are eligible for release under North Carolina law- based on a "request, approval, or other instruction" from the federal government. I want to make our communities safer, but HB 10 will make us less safe by fomenting distrust in local law enforcement. No one should fear interacting with the Wake County Sheriff's Office because of their federal immigration status."