Roy Cooper, the Democratic former governor of North Carolina now running for U.S. Senate, built a record on immigration enforcement during his eight years in office that his Republican opponent is eager to highlight. According to reporting from Breitbart News, Cooper vetoed legislation on three separate occasions that would have required local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, backed sanctuary-style policies, and presided over a period in which nearly 500,000 illegal aliens resided in the state.
The financial toll cited in the report is $3.14 billion in taxpayer costs. But the more politically charged allegations center on specific cases in which illegal aliens with active ICE detainers were released from state custody and later accused of violent crimes.
The Vetoes and Their Consequences
In 2018 and 2019, 489 illegal aliens with active ICE detainers were released from North Carolina state prisons, according to the report. Those detainers included individuals charged with sex offenses, kidnapping, and homicide. The cases have become central to the argument that Cooper’s policies prioritized cooperation with immigration advocacy groups over public safety.
One case cited involved an individual in Durham County arrested for robbery with a dangerous weapon. Despite an ICE detainer, he was released. Six months later, he allegedly strangled his girlfriend to death because he believed she was cheating on him. He fled the state and was later captured in Louisiana, where he was charged with murder.
In Mecklenburg County, a previously deported illegal immigrant was released after being arrested on charges including first-degree rape and indecent liberties with a minor. County officials declined to cooperate with ICE. In Buncombe County, which includes Asheville, authorities refused to cooperate with ICE and released an illegal immigrant charged with statutory sex offenses against an 11-year-old girl.
State legislators attempted to address the issue through legislation, but Cooper vetoed the measures three times. In a 2019 veto message, he wrote: “This legislation is simply about scoring partisan political points and using fear to divide North Carolina.” He also claimed the bill “weakens law enforcement in North Carolina by mandating sheriffs to do the job of federal agents.”
The 2019 veto followed a lobbying effort by Siembra NC, a Soros-funded nonprofit that hosts “ICE Watch” workshops and operated a “community defense” hotline encouraging residents to report ICE activity. Cooper vetoed similar legislation in 2022 and 2024, with the final version becoming law after a bipartisan override vote.
Law Enforcement Backs His Opponent
Despite citing law enforcement concerns as his reason for the vetoes, Cooper’s Senate campaign has not received endorsements from law enforcement organizations. Breitbart News reported in August that zero law enforcement organizations have endorsed Cooper, and they have instead lined up behind Republican Michael Whatley. Among those organizations is the NC Troopers Association, which represents the North Carolina Highway Patrol — an agency that directly reported to Cooper and worked closely with him for eight years.
The endorsement dynamic is unusual given Cooper’s long tenure as governor and his stated rationale for vetoing the cooperation bills. It suggests that his public safety argument has not persuaded the very agencies he cited.
A Tightening Race
Recent polling indicates a tightening contest in the Tar Heel State. A Quantus Insights survey put the margin at 5 points, with Cooper at 48 percent and Whatley at 43 percent. The numbers suggest that while Cooper retains a lead, the race is far from settled.
Immigration enforcement has emerged as a defining issue in the campaign, with Cooper’s veto record and the specific cases of released individuals likely to feature prominently in attack ads and debates. The Whatley campaign is expected to continue pressing the public safety angle, particularly given the law enforcement endorsements.
Cooper’s campaign, meanwhile, has defended his record by arguing that the vetoed bills were politically motivated and would have burdened local sheriffs with federal responsibilities. His 2019 veto message encapsulated that position, and his campaign has not signaled a shift.
With the race tightening and public safety concerns at the forefront, the Senate contest in North Carolina is shaping up as a referendum on Cooper’s immigration record — one that his opponent is determined to make the central issue.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/09/25/democrat-roy-coopers-sanctuary-agenda-protected-illegal-aliens-over-north-carolina-families/