Swing state's GOP forces through 'common sense' anti-sanctuary bill, despite governor's veto



On Wednesday, North Carolina lawmakers forced through a bill that would effectively ban sanctuary policies.

Gov. Roy Cooper (D) previously vetoed House Bill 10, but the Republican majority in the state legislature voted to override his decision. The Senate passed the bill in a 30-19 vote on Wednesday, following its approval by the House the previous day.

'Common sense measure to help keep North Carolina safe.'

HB 10 will require county sheriffs to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement's detainer requests, holding illegal aliens for up to 48 hours so they may be transferred to federal custody. It also expands the list of alleged offenses — now encompassing felonies and certain serious misdemeanors — for which law enforcement officers must check an individual's immigration status.

Additionally, the wide-ranging bill includes increasing private school voucher funding, which Cooper has vehemently opposed and appeared to be his biggest hang-up about the legislation.

In his decision to veto the bill in September, Cooper claimed, "Private school vouchers are the biggest threat to public schools in decades."

Cooper also previously told WTVD, "I've vetoed the sheriff's (portion of the bill) a number of times. Obviously, I'm still opposed to that."

Some Democratic lawmakers who opposed the bill argued that it would place an unfair burden on sheriffs.

Rep. Abe Jones (D-Wake) stated, "Tell ICE to do ICE's work."

"Our sheriffs have enough work to do without doing ICE work for free," Jones claimed.

Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) argued for "collaboration between local law enforcement and federal agencies like ICE to protect American lives."

Senate leader Phil Berger (R) called the bill "purely common sense."

"I question why anyone in law enforcement — these elected sheriffs — would deny a community the safety that is allowed by taking the process in this way," he told WTVD.

North Carolina GOP also referred to the bill's measures as "common sense."

A spokesperson stated, "Requiring Sheriffs to cooperate with ICE while over 10 million illegal immigrants have poured across the Southern border is a common sense measure to help keep North Carolina safe."

The North Carolina Sheriff's Association voiced its support of the bill ahead of the vote. However, some counties, such as Wake, Durham, and Orange, opposed cooperating with ICE agents.

Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe stated Wednesday, "First and foremost, my priority remains the safety and well-being of Wake County residents, and I believe effective public safety depends on collaboration, not fear. Following the state legislature's decision to override the Governor's veto of House Bill 10 (HB 10), I want to reaffirm my concerns about the impacts of this law."

The legislation will go into effect on December 1.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

State Legislature Sidesteps Dem Gov, Passes Sweeping School Choice Measure

'Biggest threat to public schools'

Are Dems Slow-Walking Hurricane Relief To Suppress An Election-Deciding Number Of GOP Voters?

A slow-rolled disaster response in North Carolina has many wondering if Democrats are trying to suppress votes in the Trump-supporting region.

Tim Walz Isn’t Helping Kamala Harris, He’s Hurting Her

He's failing to win over white men and hasn't secured any crucial swing states for Harris.

The burning question after Hurricane Helene destroys southern Appalachia's forgotten communities



More than 100 Americans are dead after Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 cyclone, made landfall in Florida last week.

What made Helene unusual compared to previous major hurricanes is that communities hardest hit sit hundreds of miles from the coast. Dozens of people in Georgia and South Carolina are already confirmed dead, while at least 30 people in Buncombe County in North Carolina — where the city of Asheville is located — have already been confirmed dead.

Where is the media coverage? Where are President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris?

Unfortunately, the death toll is expected to rise as emergency crews finally reach impassable areas.

The storm was especially devastating for mountain communities in north Georgia and the Carolinas because it had already been raining there for nearly a day — rain from a separate storm system — when Helene barreled through the region, bringing with her hurricane-force winds and torrential downpours.

The cumulative impact caused mudslides and historic flooding while falling trees cut power to millions of Americans.

Many of the Appalachian communities already forgotten were cut off from the outside world: no electricity, no running water, no internet, and no cell phone service. At one point, all four interstate entrances and exits into the city of Asheville were cut off.

The flooding even wiped away entire communities.

Interstate 40 near the Tennessee-North Carolina border is also impassable after one side of the highway fell into the raging Pigeon River. And dozens of people had to be rescued from a hospital roof in eastern Tennessee.

A beautiful region of the United States has, in many areas, been permanently damaged. The impact is already being compared to what happened after Hurricane Katrina.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) described the destruction, saying it "looks like a bomb went off." North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), moreover, said Helene was "one of the worst storms in modern history."

But there was a burning question on social media over the weekend: Where is the media coverage? Where are President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris?

It's true the media is finally covering the story. But the problem that people expressed on social media over the weekend is that the coverage, especially on Friday and Saturday, did not match the magnitude of the unfolding disaster.

— (@)

As of Monday, the president and vice president have tweeted about the storm a handful of times combined. Additionally, Biden has approved "Major Disaster" declarations for Florida and North Carolina, and FEMA has deployed just 800 personnel to the region, according to CBS News. Harris also cut short a campaign trip to receive briefings on Helene.

Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is stepping up. Launching "Operation Blue Ridge," the Florida Republican deployed his state's resources to help with recovery efforts.

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Georgia on Monday, where he will meet with local officials and help distribute disaster relief supplies.

As rescue operations continue over the coming days and weeks, it will be difficult to comprehend the scope of the death and destruction. AccuWeather's preliminary estimate of total storm damage and economic loss is between $95–$110 billion.

If you want to support recovery efforts, consider donating to Mercury One, Samaritan's Purse — which is located in Boone, North Carolina, a mountain town devastated by Helene — or other official charitable organizations assisting in the recovery.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Democrats Revert To Their Favorite Past Time With Segregated Rallies

'Black Women for Harris'

REPORT: Roy Cooper To Pull Out Of Running As Kamala Harris’ Vice President

He has successfully won gubernatorial races in North Carolina

REPORT: Harris VP Vetting Is Underway. It Excludes One Key Name

The campaign's reported shortlist excludes one notable name

Who might be Kamala Harris' running mate? Leading contenders Democrats may be considering.



With President Joe Biden stepping out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris, rumors are swirling about Harris' potential pick for running mate, should she secure the nomination.

Since the Sunday announcement from the Biden administration, Harris has raised roughly $50 million in donations, according to Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, The Hill reported.

Harris responded to Biden's support in a recent statement, noting, "I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination."

"I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda," she continued. "We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win."

Democrats have already started naming their preferred vice presidential picks for a Harris ticket. Those being considered so far appear to include Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and United States Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona. All of the floated potential candidates are Democratic politicians from red or purple swing states.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Shapiro, viewed as a likely pick for running mate, was among several Democrats to endorse Harris in the upcoming presidential election in the wake of Biden's announcement that he was stepping out of the race.

In a Sunday statement, Shapiro wrote, "I've known Kamala Harris for nearly two decades — we've both been prosecutors, we've both stood up for the rule of law, we've both fought for the people and delivered results. Kamala Harris is a patriot worthy of our support and she will continue the work of generations of Americans who came before us to perfect our union, protect our democracy, and advance real freedom. She has served the country honorably as Vice President and she is ready to be President."

Shapiro claimed that the "best path forward for the Democratic Party is to quickly unite behind Vice President Harris and refocus on winning the presidency."

"I will do everything I can to help elect Kamala Harris as the 47th President of the United States," he declared.

— (@)

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper

Cooper also threw his support behind Harris' campaign. He won his gubernatorial elections in 2016 and 2020 — the same years that former President Donald Trump secured wins in North Carolina. Cooper will have reached his term limit as governor after this year.

Cooper wrote on X Sunday afternoon, "President Biden has cemented his place among our nation's finest Presidents. When our democracy faced danger, President Biden stood strong as the rarest type of leader who could help us forge ahead with a vision to repair our country's soul."

In a separate post, Cooper declared that Harris "should be the next President," noting that he has known her since they both served as attorneys general.

"She has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country thoughtfully and with integrity. I look forward to campaigning for her as we work to win NC up and down the ticket," Cooper said.

— (@)

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Beshear stated that Biden's decision to suspend his presidential campaign "could not have been easy" but was "in the best interest of our country, and our party."

The governor appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Monday to announce his "full support" for Harris' presidential campaign.

"She's incredibly tough & smart, w/ the compassion and empathy to be a phenomenal president. She'll bring our country together and move us past the anger politics we've seen in recent years," Beshear wrote on X.

In 2020, Beshear secured his second term as governor, defeating a Trump-backed Republican opponent.

— (@)

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly

Rumors are circulating that Kelly is also among those being considered as Harris' running mate. On Sunday, Kelly stated that he "couldn't be more confident" that Harris "is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future."

"She has my support for the nomination, and Gabby and I will do everything we can to elect her President of the United States," Kelly added, referring to his wife, Gabrielle Giffords (D), a former U.S. Representative from Arizona.

Kelly praised Biden for being "one of the most consequential presidents in history," crediting the president for his response to COVID and "bring[ing] back microchip and clean energy manufacturing."

"He has strengthened our alliances and made our country safer," he claimed.

— (@)

Anything else?

While it remains to be seen whom Harris might select as her vice president, the Wall Street Journal reported that she spoke with Shapiro, Cooper, and Beshear on Sunday afternoon.

Additional potential running mates who may be up for Harris' consideration include Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!