North Carolina House passes legislation to increase cooperation with ICE
Last night, the North Carolina House passed HB 318, the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act, in a 70 to 45 vote, with one Democrat joining the Republicans to pass this legislation.
What the legislation does
It builds on House Bill 10, which passed last session, to increase the cooperation of North Carolina law enforcement with federal immigration officials.
The legislation increases the number of criminal offenses that require local law enforcement to determine residency during processing.
It requires a judicial official to determine the residency status of an individual who is facing charges for these offenses before setting pretrial release conditions.
Finally, the legislation requires the facility to hold someone on an ICE detainer 48 hours longer than they otherwise would have been held, allowing more time for immigration officials to take the person into custody.
Bottom Line: This legislation expands the requirements for local North Carolina law enforcement in dealing with illegal aliens, which will increase cooperation with federal immigration officials. As these policies go into effect, the number of illegal aliens deported will increase, by ending catch-and-release policies enacted by woke sheriffs. This legislation will now head to the North Carolina Senate for consideration.
What They Are Saying
North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall said, “Make no mistake—when illegal immigrants commit violent crimes and are then released back into our communities, it’s the law-abiding families of North Carolina who pay the price. Sheriffs who refuse to cooperate with ICE are putting the public at risk. This bill ensures that sheriffs do their job: protect citizens, not shield criminals."
Rep. Brenden Jones said, “House Bill 318 is about restoring common sense and prioritizing public safety. Criminal illegal immigrants should never be released back onto our streets to commit more violent crimes just because a rogue sheriff refuses to cooperate with ICE. This legislation ensures that violent offenders are held accountable.”
The progressive group El Pueblo said, “By expanding the list of offenses that require sheriffs and magistrates to consult with ICE to determine the immigration status of detainees, HB318 will put a greater number of immigrants at risk of deportation, even those accused of non-violent crimes, without even giving them the opportunity to defend themselves in court... Legislation like HB318 is based on false anti-immigrant rhetoric that criminalizes immigrants without recognizing their enormous contributions to the economy and the progress of the state and the country.”
Digging Deeper
In addition to HB 318, the North Carolina House Judiciary 2 committee favorably reported two bills dealing with illegal immigration issues in North Carolina. HB 261, Sentence Enhancement/Immigration-Related Crimes, increased the sentence for individuals convicted of a serious crime, if federal immigration officials have already ordered that they should be deported or previously been denied entry. HB 6290, the Citizens Support Act, requires state agencies to limit public benefits to citizens only, as allowed by federal law. Both of these bills met strong criticism from progressives.
Tim’s Take: These legislative actions will help make immigration a campaign issue in 2026, which is why the House Republican campaign arm is already highlighting the vulnerable House Democrats who toed the party line. While the American people's views on immigration have shifted right, mostly in response to the Biden administration's reckless immigration policies, elected Democrats have not changed their views.
