The primary election victory of Democrat, Garry McFadden, expected to make the next Sheriff of Mecklenburg, could signal the impending end of the county’s involvement with a controversial program targeting undocumented immigrants among jail inmates. McFadden campaigned against the 287(g) program, supported by the current Sheriff, Irwin Carmichael.
Mecklenburg has participated in the program since 2006, with over 15,000 inmates having been processed for deportation from the US during that time. Last year, there were 288 deportations, the majority of whom came from Latin America and Mexico. The section became a part of federal law back in 1996, enabling Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to make agreements with local and state law enforcement agencies, enabling them to carry out some duties of immigration law enforcement under their supervision.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement says that the focus of the program is intended to be on criminal immigrants who threaten public safety. 76 law enforcement agencies across 20 states in the US have agreements with ICE, including the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, as well as those in Cabarrus, Henderson, Wake, Gaston, and Nash counties.
Hector Vaca, the director of advocacy group, Action NC, in Charlotte, said they hope the change will result in happier days for the immigrant community in Mecklenburg, and that it would be very positive for the Charlotte region to eventually end the 287(g) program, together with some other reforms supported by McFadden.