Lawmakers reach deal on ICE, NC sheriff cooperation bill, GOP leaders say

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s General Assembly will return to session next week to address several outstanding issues.

Republican leaders say lawmakers have reached a deal on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) bill that will require sheriffs across the state to cooperate with immigration officials.

It means sheriffs will have to comply with detainer requests. Currently, voluntary detainers aren’t honored in Mecklenburg County.

Lawmakers have also reached a deal on opportunity scholarships and plan to provide the funding to clear the waitlist.

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It’s unknown which day lawmakers will return to session.

The ICE deal would bring an end to a hard-fought battle between lawmakers and sheriff’s offices. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden has openly opposed the bill when it’s gone through previous rounds in the House. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper successfully vetoed versions of the measure twice.

The bill is the GOP’s response to sheriffs in several North Carolina counties refusing to work closely with ICE on immigration matters. Republicans and their allies say this lets some criminal suspects get released and cause more violence.

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson told Channel 9′s Joe Bruno on Thursday he is in favor of the ICE bill.

“At one time, I kind of waffled on that. I didn’t really like the fact that we were saying, ‘Hey, the government’s got to force these sheriffs.’ But we have reached a crucial point in this country right now where it is extremely important,” Robinson said. “We don’t know who is coming across our border. We know a lot of people are coming over here because they’re desperate to get away from terrible situations. But we also know there are a lot of people that are coming across for nefarious purposes. We have to protect our people, and if the sheriffs won’t step up and do it, the legislature has to.”

Attorney General Josh Stein told Bruno Thursday that he thinks the legislature should focus on hiring deputies instead.

“Keeping people safe is the top priority of the government, and it’s what I’ve been focused on as the attorney general,” Stein said. “I talk with sheriffs all the time about what they need in order to keep their community safe, and what I hear is sheriff shortages, not enough deputies, not enough police officers. We’ve got a recruitment and retention package at the legislature. My hope is that they act on that so we can get more qualified, well-trained law enforcement on the streets, keeping us safe.”

(WATCH BELOW: North Carolina lawmakers try again to make sheriffs help ICE)

North Carolina lawmakers try again to make sheriffs help ICE

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