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Statement

North Carolina Will Be Less Safe and Less Successful Because Our State Legislature Overrode Gov. Cooper’s Wise Veto of H.B. 10

November 22, 2024
Immigration, North Carolina

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, including 47,000 in North Carolina, on the North Carolina state legislature overriding the Governor’s veto and enacting House Bill (H.B.) 10:

“North Carolina moms are deeply disappointed that the legislators we elected made the terrible decision to override Governor Roy Cooper’s wise and necessary veto of H.B. 10, and make this horrendous, harmful bill our state’s law. This anti-immigrant, anti-education law will cause significant harm to North Carolina moms, families, schools, and our state’s economy. Beginning on December 1, our local sheriffs will be forced to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), undermining community trust in law enforcement, removing protections for immigrant victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and other crimes, and discouraging immigrants from reporting crimes and serving as witnesses when criminals are prosecuted. And our tax dollars will now be used to provide vouchers to wealthy families to subsidize their private school tuition. This is a sad day for our state.”

-Statement of Beth Messersmith, Senior Director, MomsRising North Carolina

“Moms want the lawmakers we elect to make our state safer, improve our public schools, and make child care and housing affordable. Instead, they are amplifying anti-immigrant hate messages and sowing hardship and division by requiring local sheriffs to collaborate with federal ICE agents, increasing the risk of arrests and deportations, even for minor offenses. And instead of making much-needed funding available so public schools can hire teachers, counselors, and bus drivers, this new law will put nearly $500 million in taxpayer dollars into school vouchers – and through them into private schools.

“As an immigrant who was brought to this country at age 12, and who has lived here now for 27 years, my heart breaks knowing that North Carolina’s immigrant parents, children, and communities will continue to face fear, sadness, cruelty, and the heartache of potential separation. Yet, despite these challenges, our immigrant community is resilient and strong. This new law is destructive and will cause grave harm – but we will continue standing together for what is right, just, and fair to everyone in our state.”

-Statement of Sheila Arias, Campaign Director, MomsRising/ MamásConPoder North Carolina

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.