“North Carolina moms are disappointed, saddened, frightened, and absolutely outraged that our State Senate passed H.B. 10 this morning. This bill, which would force local sheriffs to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and, in doing so, support the deportation pipeline, is bad for our families, our communities, our state, and our economy. The harm it would cause is immense.

“H.B. 10 will undermine our community trust in law enforcement and deter immigrants from reporting sexual assault or domestic violence to the police because doing so would put them at risk for deportation and separation from their families. Something as simple as a traffic violation could put people at risk for deportation. This legislation is heartless, mean-spirited, and truly harmful. It would sow distrust, make our communities less safe, spark fear amongst immigrant families, and increase family separation and racial profiling.

“Moms will urge the State House to reject the measure and Gov. Cooper to veto it if it makes it to his desk. In North Carolina, we recognize immigrants as our friends and neighbors who contribute mightily to our communities and our state’s economy. We want every immigrant family to be treated with compassion, dignity, and respect, and every child to experience a happy childhood free from the fear of being separated from their families.”