In a last-minute amendment that aroused suspicion among Democrats, the Republican majority in the Legislature allocated an additional budget for the State Highway Patrol and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), two agencies that could begin collaborating with federal immigration agents if the governor’s veto of the anti-immigrant bill SB153 is overridden.
The amendment was introduced by Republican lawmaker Donny Lambeth amid debate over SB245, which originally only had to do with authorizing remote driver’s license renewals.
Under the amendment, $3 million will be allocated to the state Highway Patrol to hire 26 full-time non-sworn officers, and $1.4 million for SBI to create 10 new administrative positions.
The amendment created a tense moment during the debate when New Hannover Democratic Rep. Deb Butler asked to her Republican colleagues what those additional funds were going to be used for and whether it had to do with immigration enforcement activities.
“My concern about these appropriations at this time and these 10 well actually a total of 36 new positions.” Butler said. “My concern is now that these state law enforcement offices are in effect instrumentalities of the immigration and Custom enforcement Agency that these are funds that are going to be used to target our immigrant community.”
“No, not at all,” denied Republican Rep. Brendan Jones, who claimed that the new hires will be to fulfill the work that is currently being done. “It’s kind of ridiculous to even say it, because this is not doing anything like that,” he added.
“Well, you can talk to the immigrant community and tell them you think it’s ridiculous. But I’m pretty sure that when their families are being ripped apart and pulled over the interstates, they don’t feel it to be ridiculous,” Butler responded, drawing applause from the gallery audience.
House Speaker Destin Hall had to call for order and ask the public to remain silent otherwise they would be kicked out of the galleries.
Following the incident, the amended SB245 bill passed by a vote of 109 to 7 and will have to return to the Senate for ratification before being sent to the governor’s office.
Meanwhile, the anti-immigrant bill, SB153, is still pending a vote in the House of Representatives, where Republicans need the support of at least one Democratic lawmaker to override the governor’s veto.
The House will meet on Thursday at 10:30 a.m., but Hall said there would be no voting on the day that will be the last one on this month as the Legislature will recess until Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Hall said Tuesday to the media that lawmakers have another year and a half ahead to decide on bills vetoed by the governor, so it could be months before a final vote on SB153.
SB153 calls for four state agencies — the Highway Patrol, the Department of Public Safety, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Adult Corrections — to collaborate with ICE to identify and detain undocumented immigrants in the state.
It also provides for removing immunity from cities or counties that have “sanctuary policies” to protect immigrants, forcing state universities to collaborate with ICE, and auditing all public programs to ensure that no immigrant without legal status receives benefits from the state.
