Statement on Gov. Cooper’s veto of immigration bill

GOP placing additional burdens on law enforcement and making communities less safe in order to score cheap political points

RALEIGH — Progress NC Action released the following statement in response to Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of House Bill 370:

“This bill forcing local sheriff deputies to act like Donald Trump’s personal deportation squad would only place additional financial burdens on law enforcement with its unfunded mandate,” said Gerrick Brenner, executive director of Progress NC Action. “This will also make our communities less safe by making it harder for immigrants to report a crime without fear of ICE agents separating families. This bill also undermines the will of local voters across North Carolina who elected new sheriffs who promised to end cooperation agreements with Donald Trump’s inhumane deportation agency. But legislative Republicans don’t care about any of that. Just like their counterparts in Congress, they’re just trying to gin up fear and xenophobia toward immigrants in order to score cheap political points.”