RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Republicans who are resolved to promote President Donald Trump’s agenda now seek to compel the recently elected Democratic governor to aid the president’s immigration crackdown and stop the new Democratic attorney general from fighting Trump in court.
The North Carolina Senate advanced measures this week amplifying recent GOP-backed laws eroding powers of Democratic executive branch officials.
Emboldened by Trump’s 3-point victory in November — his third in battleground North Carolina — Republicans approved a bill Tuesday that would force some law enforcement agencies who report to Gov. Josh Stein to cooperate with federal immigration agents. That would include having the State Bureau of Investigation, Department of Public Safety and adult correction system officially participate in the 287(g) program, which trains officers to interrogate defendants and determine their immigration status.
Republican lawmakers in over a dozen states this year have filed legislation seeking to require or incentivize cooperative agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural.
The bill also would direct Stein’s budget office to determine if immigrants in the country unlawfully are wrongly receiving state benefits.
Another measure given tentative approval Wednesday will prevent the attorney general — former U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson, now in Stein’s old job — from challenging any presidential executive order, as he already has.
Just a few months ago, Republicans enacted a law forcing county sheriffs to assist ICE when jail inmates are found wanted by agents. The law passed despite a veto from then-Gov. Roy Cooper.
“North Carolina made it very clear in November that they support Donald J. Trump. Part of the reason for that support is his steadfast commitment to regaining control of our borders,” immigration bill sponsor Sen. Buck Newton said Tuesday. “We need to take further steps.”
GOP leaders are unhappy that Jackson, a rising star among Democrats, has joined litigation with other Democratic attorneys general to challenge a few Trump directives, including an order seeking to end birthright citizenship for anyone born in the U.S. to someone in the country illegally.
Republicans say the state Constitution gives lawmakers the power to set Jackson’s duties and his position has too much authority. Legislators weakened his job recently by…
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