NC sheriff responds after Democratic governor vetoes bill requiring police to cooperate with ICE

A North Carolina sheriff reacted Monday after Gov. Roy Cooper was blasted by President Trump for vetoing a bill that would require local law enforcement to comply with federal immigration authorities.

“Ninety-five percent of sheriffs are complying, with approximately 45 percent of Democratic sheriffs also complying, and it ain’t nothing special they’ve done, this has been going on forever,” Beaufort County Sheriff Ernie Coleman told “Fox & Friends.”

MIGRANT FAMILY DETENTION EXTENSION IS PRAISED BY FORMER ACTING ICE DIRECTOR TOM HOMAN

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill on Wednesday that would have required local law enforcement to ask about prisoners’ immigration status and cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal immigration authorities.

Coleman said that complying with ICE has been the typical procedure.

"The misconception is that the government’s calling us and saying ‘hey we want this group.’ There are no calls from the government. This is a procedure that we notify like any other agency and then it’s up to them to contact us and say we will be there or not.”

Coleman said that there are approximately 50 Republican sheriffs and 50 Democratic sheriffs and only a few sheriffs in the state have said they won't comply with ICE requests.

“It’s not a law, a lot of people think it’s a law. It’s not. It’s a request,” he explained

"Believe it or not, it is their right. ... They feel, I guess, in their heart, they’re doing the right thing for whatever reasons and we’ll move on.”

The governor accused North Carolina lawmakers of "using fear to divide" the state by passing the bill, calling the measure unconstitutional.

"This legislation is simply about scoring partisan political points and using fear to divide North Carolina," Cooper said in a statement.

"As the former top law enforcement officer of our state, I know that current law allows the state to jail and prosecute dangerous criminals regardless of immigration status. This bill, in addition to being unconstitutional, weakens law enforcement in North Carolina by mandating sheriffs to do the job of federal agents, using local resources that could hurt their ability to protect their counties. Finally, to elevate their partisan political pandering, the legislature has made a sheriff’s violation of this new immigration duty as the only specifically named duty violation that can result in a sheriff’s removal from office."

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President Trump took to Twitter Saturday to blast Cooper for the veto.

"North Carolina Governor Cooper Vetoed a Bill that would have required Sheriffs to cooperate with Ice. This is a terrible decision for the great people of North Carolina. He should reverse his decision and get back to the basics of fighting crime!" Trump wrote.

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