This week, advocates will travel from across North Carolina to the State Capitol in Raleigh to call on the North Carolina General Assembly to protect and strengthen immigrants, refugees, and the communities that welcome them. On April 3, community members will urge their elected officials to reject legislation that would target newcomers for detention and deportation and instead advance policies that create opportunities for immigrants and refugees to reach their full potential.
Right now, the General Assembly is considering SB 153 – the “North Carolina Border Protection Act,” which would:
- Require local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement agents and target local communities that protect immigrants.
- Forbid University of North Carolina institutions from adopting policies that protect students from enforcement.
- Require an investigation of public benefits programs to ensure undocumented people are not receiving support beyond what is federally mandated.
The bill would harm local communities, undermining trust in institutions and generating fear around reporting violence or seeking help in dangerous situations.
Instead of wasting taxpayer resources on heightened enforcement and an unnecessary investigation of public benefits, the North Carolina General Assembly should support policies that promote our collective flourishing by expanding opportunities for refugees and immigrants to participate fully in our communities. To that end, the General Assembly should advance legislation to:
- Make obtaining a driver’s license more accessible to English language learners to accelerate immigrants’ integration into our communities. SB 606 – Language Access and State Holidays Act and HB 371 – DMV Materials in Additional Languages address the need for translation services.
- Remove unnecessary barriers to K-12 teacher licensure so that refugee and immigrant educators can practice their profession and contribute to the teacher workforce. SB 147 – Teacher License Reciprocity streamlines licensure for K-12 teachers trained out of state. Lawmakers should pass the bill with an amendment to expand its scope to encompass internationally trained educators.
Even if you can’t travel to Raleigh, you can still make your voice heard. Join us in taking action to urge the North Carolina General Assembly to oppose measures that would endanger newcomer populations and support policies that expand opportunities for refugees and immigrants to thrive and contribute.
CONTACT YOUR NORTH CAROLINA STATE SENATOR AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY
On the right-hand side, you can send an email to your state lawmakers.
Sample email: “My name is [insert name] and as your constituent from [City/Town] and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I urge you to vote NO on Senate Bill 153 – “North Carolina Border Protection Act,” should the bill come before you for a vote. I urge you instead to support legislation to expand opportunities for refugees and immigrants to participate more fully in our communities and promote our shared flourishing.
Senate Bill 153 requires local law enforcement to cooperate with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, targets local communities that protect immigrants, forbids University of North Carolina institutions from adopting policies to protect immigrant students from enforcement, and imposes a wasteful investigation of the agencies and organizations that connect North Carolinians with crucial services, like health care, food assistance, and housing.
The bill would harm local communities, undermining trust in institutions and creating heightened fear around reporting violence or seeking help in dangerous situations.
Instead of wasting taxpayer resources on heightened enforcement and an unnecessary investigation of public benefits, the General Assembly should advance policies that promote our collective flourishing by expanding opportunities for refugees and immigrants to participate fully in our communities. To that end, the I urge you to support efforts to:
- Make obtaining a driver’s license more accessible to English language learners to accelerate immigrants’ integration into our communities. SB 606 – Language Access and State Holidays Act and HB 371 – DMV Materials in Additional Languages address the need for translation services.
- Remove unnecessary barriers to K-12 teacher licensure so that refugee and immigrant educators can practice their profession and contribute to the teacher workforce. SB 147 – Teacher License Reciprocity streamlines licensure for teachers trained out of state. Lawmakers should pass the bill with an amendment to expand its scope to encompass internationally-trained educators.
Again, I urge you to reject legislation that would target newcomers for detention and deportation and instead advance policies that create opportunities for immigrants and refugees to reach their full potential so North Carolina communities can thrive. Thank you for your work.”
AMPLIFY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Share this message with your state lawmakers on social media
[Legislator] Targeting immigrants and the communities that welcome them undermines public trust and wastes our resources. Reject Senate Bill 153. #NCGA
The “North Carolina Border Protection Act” (SB 153) does not protect anyone, and in fact makes us all less safe. Instead of targeting immigrants, I urge [Legislator] to advance measures that strengthen newcomers’ participation in our communities. #NCGA
[Legislator] I urge you to accelerate immigrants’ integration into our communities by making driver’s license certification materials accessible to our immigrant neighbors who are still learning English. #NCGA
[Legislator], it’s time to remove barriers to teacher certification so that refugee and immigrant educators can practice their profession and contribute to our state’s teacher workforce. #NCGA
Additional resources:
- ACLU of North Carolina: NC Senate Passes Anti-Immigration Bill
- North Carolina Justice Center: North Carolina Justice Center opposes Senate Bill 153: A dangerous and unnecessary expansion of immigration enforcement
- American Immigration Council: The 287(g) Program: An Overview