RALEIGH, N.C. — Newly elected black sheriffs in North Carolina not honoring federal requests to hold inmates who may be in the country unlawfully say they're being unfairly targeted by Republican lawmakers with a bill that would force compliance.
Sheriffs from three large counties spoke on Wednesday before a Senate committee debates and votes on the bill. Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers says he's against all forms of House Bill 370 and has withdrawn support.
Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden says GOP legislators are attacking new sheriffs who won't comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers upon people charged with state crimes. Compliance is currently optional. McFadden accuses legislators of using "code words" — including the words "urban sheriffs" — to highlight the sheriffs are black.
Rogers sent out a statement Wednesday stating he 'has officially withdrawn support for the NCSA proposal and all versions of these bills. The proposal and bills have many legal flaws, and violate due process provisions in the US Constitution.'
'Sheriff Rogers has made it clear that he does not believe in violating any person’s constitutional rights,' read an email sent to media outlets.
The Senate has proposed altering House legislation so that orders would be required from judges or magistrates. Civil rights groups still say due process problems would make the bill unconstitutional.