Legislation that would punish so-called “sanctuary cities” in North Carolina has passed a key committee vote and will continue to move through the chamber.
While the state already has a moratorium on sanctuary policies, Senate Bill 145 enforces financial punishments on jurisdictions that don't follow federal immigration laws.
If a public university doesn't comply, it could lose state funding. If a city breaks the rules, the state could withhold tax money from a variety of sources.
According to the News and Observer, the ACLU spoke out against the bill. The advocacy organization says the measure breaks federal privacy laws by potentially forcing universities to share a student's immigration status with law enforcement.
But Republican Sen. Jerry Tillman suggested that not having such a measure would create a “safe haven for criminals.”
SB 145 now moves on to the Senate Finance Committee.