Democratic lawmakers in the North Carolina General Assembly introduced several bills to expand support and protection for the immigrant community, including measures on data privacy, worker support, and legal defense, among others.
The advancement of these proposals in the legislature is not guaranteed because the Republican majority in the General Assembly could prevent their approval.
Enlace Latino NC has compiled a list of legislative proposals and will update it as new measures are introduced or as these progress during the called a short legislative session.
Bills introduced up to April 30, 2026:
In the state Senate, four bills were introduced that benefit the immigrant community, while in the House of Representatives, a total of seven proposals were introduced.
HB 1183: Defend NC
The bill HB 1183The bill, titled “Defend NC,” combines measures on immigration, the economy, and state funding. Its most significant feature, however, is the prohibition of local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The measure, introduced by Democratic Representative Zack Hawkins, prohibits local law enforcement agencies and sheriff's offices from collaborating with federal immigration authorities. Specifically, it would prevent them from participating in arrests for immigration violations or in the execution of deportation orders.
The project also stipulates that officers may not be delegated by federal agencies to perform immigration functions, and nullifies any existing agreements that conflict with this prohibition.
This would include 287(g) agreements, which allow local authorities to collaborate directly with ICE in the enforcement of immigration laws.
In addition, the measure includes economic and health provisions, such as the temporary suspension of sales tax on certain products, and expresses the intention to maintain access to Medicaid for eligible citizens.
The project also mandates studies on the loss of federal funds and raises the possibility of creating a state fund to compensate for those cuts.
Initially, $50 would be allocated to establish this fund, subject to the results of the required studies.
Where is it in the legislative process?
The measure passed its first reading and is now in the House Rules and Operations Committee.
Most of the provisions, specifically those related to immigration, would take effect immediately upon becoming law.
HB 1188: Limits on Immigrant Detention Centers
The bill HB 1188The law, titled “Limits on Immigration Detention Facilities,” prohibits local, state, or sheriff agencies from maintaining contracts with the federal government or private companies to operate or maintain immigrant detention facilities for civil custody purposes.
In practice, this would prevent jails or facilities in North Carolina from being used as immigration detention centers under agreements with the federal government.
The bill, introduced by Democratic Representatives Pricey Harrison, Deb Butler, Maria Cervania, and Amanda P. Cook, along with support from Tracy Clark, also stipulates that state authorities will not be allowed to operate facilities specifically dedicated to the detention of people for civil immigration reasons.
In addition, the Department of Public Safety would be required to collect data on the people detained in these centers and submit an annual report to the General Assembly with information on their status, legal processes and the results of their cases.
$50 would be allocated to be used for administrative costs associated with the implementation of the bill.
Where is it in the legislative process?
The measure passed its first reading and is now in the House Rules and Operations Committee.
If approved, it would come into effect on December 1, 2026.
SB 890: Retaining immigrant talent in North Carolina
El SB 890 bill, Titled “Keep Immigrant Talent in NC”, it seeks to retain highly skilled immigrant talent in North Carolina by creating a state fund for economic support.
The proposal presented by Democratic Senators Natalie Murdock and Sophia Chitlik It establishes a “Highly Qualified Talent Retention Fund” within the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
This fund would provide reimbursement subsidies to eligible workers to cover costs related to their labor immigration status, such as H-1B, O-1, and TN visa renewal fees, adjustment of status procedures, and associated legal expenses. work authorization.
Although this agency will also define the detailed eligibility criteria, the program would be aimed at highly skilled workers who live and work in North Carolina.
This would include people with advanced university degrees, employees in specialized or high-demand occupations, or workers with skills that are difficult to replace in the labor market.
The project allocates $1 million annually, starting in fiscal year 2026-2027, to fund the program, with a maximum of 5% earmarked for administrative costs. Unused funds would not expire at the end of the fiscal year.
Where is it in the legislative process?
The proposal passed its first reading and is now in the Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee.
If approved, it would come into effect immediately upon becoming law.
SB 888: Privacy of Migration Data
The bill, titled “Immigration Data Privacy,” seeks to limit the disclosure of immigration-related data by North Carolina state agencies.
The proposal SB 888 It establishes that no state agency, department, or institution may share migration information with federal, state or local entities for the purpose of enforcing civil immigration laws.
The measure, introduced by Democratic senators Natalie Murdock and Caleb Theodros, determines two exceptions:
- If the affected person gives their consent
- If there is a valid court order, subpoena, or search warrant issued by a court
When information is released under a legal order, only the information specifically requested may be shared. Furthermore, the agency receiving the request must notify the affected individual within three business days, indicating the entity that requested the information.
The bill also requires all state agencies to register and report annually to the attorney general all immigration data requests they receive. These reports would include the number of requests, the requesting agency, the outcome, and the legal basis used.
Where is it in the legislative process?
The measure passed its first reading and is now in the Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee.
If approved, it would come into effect immediately upon becoming law.
SB 917: Support for the legal defense of immigrants
The bill SB 917The bill, titled “MELT Act: Support Immigrant Legal Defense”, seeks to reverse previous policies of cooperation with federal immigration authorities and allocate funds to community-based immigration legal services.
The proposal, introduced by Democratic lawmakers Caleb Theodros, Mujtaba A. Mohammed, and Sophia Chitlik, seeks to repeal the “Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act” (HB 318). adopted during Session 2025-85This law expanded cooperation between local jails and federal immigration enforcement authorities and, according to legislative findings, generated distrust between local police and immigrant communities.
Furthermore, the proposal would also limit collaboration between local authorities and state immigration officials by prohibiting state or local agencies from:
- Detain someone based solely on an ICE administrative warrant
- Keep people detained longer than permitted by state law.
- Hand people over to ICE without a court order
- Allow access to non-public areas of prisons for warrantless immigration raids
The initiative would require federal authorities to obtain a court order before enforcing immigration laws in the state. This means that ICE or the Border Patrol could not arrest, detain, enter homes, or conduct operations in the state without a warrant signed by a judge.
Lawmakers are also requesting $4 million to expand access to lawyers, as this is not guaranteed in immigration courts.
The funds would be awarded to community organizations to handle immigration cases, including representation in deportation proceedings, asylum applications, "Know Your Rights" workshops, and support with visas (U and T), VAWA, and TPS.
Where is it in the legislative process?
The measure passed its first reading and is now in the Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee.
If approved, it would come into effect on July 1, 2026.
HB 1112: Workforce stability and economic protection of NC
The bill HB 1112The study, titled “NC Workforce Stability and Economic Protection”, focuses on measuring the economic impact of federal immigration actions in North Carolina, but does not seek to directly change the enforcement of immigration laws.
The proposal requires the State to conduct an annual study on how migration actions they have an impact on the state economyThis would assess losses in tax revenue, the drop in state output, the impact on public services, and business closures.
The bill also establishes new obligations for employers, requiring them to notify their workers.
This means that if a company receives an immigration audit, for example, inspections of I-9 forms, it must notify its employees within 72 hours and do so in the employee's primary language. The notification must include the name of the agency involved and the documents requested.
Employers who fail to comply with these provisions will receive fines of $500 for the first violation and up to $1,000 for additional violations.
The bill would also provide $100 for these economic studies and would give the Attorney General a more active role. The Attorney General would be responsible for monitoring federal operations and assessing whether they affect civil rights or state commerce.
Democratic Representatives Deb Butler, Pricey Harrison, Marcia Morey, and Amanda P. Cook introduced the measure, along with support from Democratic Representative Renée A. Price.
Where is it in the legislative process?
The measure passed its first reading and is now in the House Rules and Operations Committee.
If approved, it would come into effect immediately upon becoming law.
HB 1064: Civil Rights Helpline
A bill titled “Civil Rights Health Line” would establish a toll-free, 24/7 hotline within the North Carolina Department of Justice. Its purpose is to receive, document, and investigate complaints of civil rights violations.
This measure, HB 1064Furthermore, it would create a digital platform where affected individuals or their families could report incidents related to the actions of federal law enforcement agencies, including immigration operations.
The proposal was introduced by Democratic Representatives Tracy Clark, Mary Harrison, Marcia Morey, and Julia Greenfield. The measure has the support of other lawmakers, including Representative Nasif Majeed, who He recently left the Democratic Party.
The state Attorney General's Office would be responsible for maintaining a secure database of the reports and publishing an annual report with the collected data. Personal information will be kept confidential.
The Attorney General must also hold at least one annual public hearing to present the report's findings.
The bill allocates $3 million for its implementation.
Where is it in the legislative process?
The measure passed its first reading and is now in the House Rules and Operations Committee.
If approved, it would come into effect on July 1, 2026.
Other measures presented
Initiatives HB 1060, HB 1061 y HB 1062 The bills, presented on April 27, address the protection of the immigrant community in schools and would add oversight of cooperation with federal authorities.
The three measures, introduced by Democratic Representative Julia Greenfield, passed the first reading and are now in the House Rules and Operations Committee.
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