WNC Rep. Lindsey Prather votes eight times against legislation to strengthen immigration enforcement
The North Carolina House Republican Caucus plans to hold Rep. Lindsey Prather accountable for her votes against tougher immigration laws and legislation prioritizing American citizens over illegal aliens. Throughout the debates in the North Carolina House, Prather voted against these legislative measures to reduce the impact of illegal immigration eight times.
Here are the immigration related bills Rep. Lindsey Prather votes against this session:
Prather voted against House Bill 10 Require ICE Cooperation & Budget Adjustments. This legislation strengthened requirements for local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials. The goal is to end dangerous catch and release policies where local jurisdictions would release someone who is here illegally after arresting them, often times these individuals go on to commit further crimes against Americans.
Prather voted against House Bill 318 The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act, which required officials to determine the citizenship status of individuals facing serious crimes. By determining the citizenship status before pretrial release, the goal is to understand the flight risk of an individual, reducing the chance of an individual fleeing the state before trial.
Prather voted against Senate Bill 153 North Carolina Border Protection Act. This legislation requires that law enforcement help enforce the law, prevents illegal aliens from receiving North Carolina public benefits, and eliminates legal loopholes used by municipalities to protect illegal aliens.
Understanding the situation in Buncombe County.
In 2019, progressives in Buncombe County successfully pressured the sheriff to end cooperation with ICE as form of resistance to the Trump administration’s plan to deport illegal aliens who committed additional crimes while in the United States. In response to Buncombe County’s decision to stop cooperating with federal authorities, ICE launched a billboard campaign asking the public for help in locating these dangerous individuals.
Republicans in the General Assembly, in particular Speaker Destin Hall, passed legislation to stop this dangerous catch-and-release policy.
However, Rep. Lindsey Prather has consistently opposed legislation to assist federal immigration officials, despite the danger it poses to her constituents. She is from one of the most competitive seats in the legislature, and Republicans plan to hold her accountable for these votes.
