STATEMENT: Veto of SB 101 will help protect North Carolina’s immigrant communities

RALEIGH (July 11, 2022) – We applaud Governor Cooper for his veto of SB 101, a “Show Me Your Papers” law that would have required sheriffs’ deputies across North Carolina to participate in federal immigration enforcement in coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), harming immigrant families and communities.

“This bill unjustly used stereotypes to further criminalize the immigrant community,” said Adriel Orozco, Staff Attorney at the North Carolina Justice Center. “It also failed to acknowledge that the criminal punishment system is separate and apart from our federal civil immigration system.”

Bills like SB 101 deepen the problems of family separation, racial profiling, and invite violations of civil and human rights. The North Carolina Justice Center is grateful that Governor Cooper chose to veto SB 101, which would have further eroded trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement and perpetuated harmful stereotypes.

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