Republicans in North Carolina are close to enacting a statewide law on the border crisis, forcing Democrats to swallow hard-line immigration policy that’s been stalled in Congress.
The law would mandate that local sheriffs check the immigration status of anyone arrested for felony drug or violent crime. They would also have to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests to hold those whose citizenship is in question for up to 48 hours without a warrant, giving agents enough time to pick them up.
Republicans in the state say they are pushing this measure in the absence of federal action on the southern border, joining states like Florida and Texas in taking immigration policy into their own hands.