RALEIGH – North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory today signed into law HB 318, which prohibits local governments from adopting so-called “sanctuary” ordinances limiting enforcement of federal immigration law, prohibits some government officials from accepting various forms of ID cards, and expands the use of E-verify.
“By making it harder for people to identify themselves to government officials, discouraging undocumented people from reporting crime, and banning local governments from passing measures aimed at improving public safety, this law makes all North Carolinians less safe,” said Sarah Preston, acting Executive Director of the ACLU of North Carolina. “Immigrants play important roles in our communities and economy. Laws like this encourage discrimination, send the message that North Carolina is unwelcoming, and make it harder for law enforcement officers to do their job keeping all members of the community safe.”
HB 318 prohibits government officials, with the exception of law enforcement officers in some cases, from accepting certain documents, such as matricula consular documents and municipal IDs, to determine a person’s actual identity or residency. It also prohibits local governments from adopting so-called “sanctuary” ordinances that limit the enforcement of federal immigration laws, and invalidates those that currently exist in North Carolina. Among the local policies the law invalidates are those designed to encourage witnesses and victims of crime to contact and cooperate with law enforcement officers.
Read the ACLU’s fact sheet explaining the impact of HB 318 here.
En Español: Explicación del Proyecto de Ley HB 318: Prohibición a las Ciudades Santuario y Limitación a la Aceptación de Ciertos Documentos de Identidad