CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County commissioners passed a resolution Tuesday night expressing support for immigrants and Sheriff Garry McFadden, who recently ended a partnership between his department and ICE, which allowed for easier arrests of illegal immigrants.
“Be it resolved that the Mecklenburg County Board of commissioners declares support for our immigrant residents and our Sheriff," the declaration from the all-democratic board reads.
Tuesday night, each commissioner complimented the Sheriff's refusal to partner with ICE on large scale immigration enforcement.
“By targeting the immigration community with raids and threats of deportation, that makes us and them lose trust in each other," Sheriff McFadden told the board Tuesday, adding it makes "people who are victims afraid to report crimes and even the people who are witness to crimes are very reluctant to come forward.”
The meeting came two weeks after an ICE raid in Charlotte that reportedly led to more than a dozen arrests.
Immigrant activists say the raid was a targeted response to Sheriff McFadden recently ending the 287(g) program, which was a partnership between the sheriff’s office and ICE that allowed deputies to check the immigration status of anyone booked in to jail.
“I do not believe that the role of the Sheriff's Office is to actively partner with ICE to carry out civil immigration enforcement," McFadden said.