Gov. Josh Stein vetoes controversial immigration bills amid public outcry in North Carolina
Both Senate Bill 153 and House Bill 318 have left some North Carolinians to organize and protest, seeking Governor Josh Stein to use his power to veto. 'People across the state have been calling for this veto organizing extensively over the past ten days,' said Sammy Salkin with the ACLU North Carolina.
Senate Bill 153 would have forced state agencies to 'cooperate to the fullest extent of the law' with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On his veto of SB153 the Governor said, 'Senate Bill 153 would also make us less safe, so I am vetoing this legislation. At a time when our law enforcement is already stretched thin, this bill takes state law enforcement officers away from their existing state duties and forces them to act as federal immigration agents. Furthermore, under current law, people without lawful immigration status already are prevented from receiving Medicaid, SNAP, Section 8, and other benefits.'
House Bill 318 would have compelled law enforcement agencies to honor detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On his veto of HB318 he said, 'I am vetoing House Bill 318 because it is unconstitutional. I support the bill's efforts to require sheriffs to contact federal immigration authorities about people in their custody charged with sexual battery, armed robbery, arson, assault on public officials and court personnel, and other dangerous crimes. People who commit these crimes should be held accountable, whether or not they are here without legal authorization, and those charged with serious offenses ought to receive increased scrutiny from federal immigration officials.
'My oath of office requires that I uphold the Constitution of the United States. Therefore, I cannot sign this bill because it would require sheriffs to unconstitutionally detain people for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released. The Fourth Circuit is clear that local law enforcement officers cannot keep people in custody solely based on a suspected immigration violation. But let me be clear: anyone who commits a serious crime in North Carolina must be prosecuted and held accountable regardless of their immigration status.'
Sammy Salkin with the ACLU of North Carolina was at the Executive Residence for a Pride event Friday evening and expressed her gratitude to him in person. 'He appreciated that we had made our voices heard and he was happy to be responsive of what his constituents had asked of him,' she said.
North Carolina State Representative Marcia Morey for District 30 is also grateful for the governor's action. 'It was a sigh of relief; we weren't quite sure, but I think the governor thought long and hard about these bills,' said Morey.
The North Carolina GOP says, 'It's disappointing, but not surprising that Gov. Stein vetoed legislation to complement the efforts of President Trump to secure the Southern border.'
It will take a 3/5 vote in each chamber to override the governor's veto. 'In the house, we have a one-vote advantage: if everyone sticks together and 3/5 stick together and are present, you have to be present at the time of the vote,' said Morey.
As for the Senate, they have to have 30 votes to override the veto, and Morey says if they vote along party lines, they could override the governor's veto. But advocates say they're hopeful lawmakers will uphold the governor's veto. 'We are hopeful that those folks will continue to vote against these harmful bills and uphold them the governor's veto,' said Salkin.
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