This page is information, not legal advice. North Carolina passed three immigration enforcement bills in the 15 months from early 2024 through mid-2025. The 2015 sanctuary ban (Protect NC Workers Act) remains the foundation. HB 10 (2024) requires sheriffs to notify ICE on certain charges. HB 318 (July 2025 veto override) requires a 48-hour hold starting at the time of scheduled release. SB 153 (the North Carolina Border Protection Act) was vetoed by Governor Stein and the Senate overrode the veto - the House override vote had not occurred as of June 2026 and the bill's status must be verified. In November 2025, DHS carried out major sweeps in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham. ICE arrested approximately 3,300 North Carolinians in the first nine months of the Trump administration, roughly double all of 2024. As of May 20, 2026, North Carolina has no long-term ICE detention facility - detainees are transferred to Georgia. Verify current conditions with the ACLU of North Carolina or a licensed immigration attorney.
North Carolina has been one of the most actively targeted states for immigration enforcement in the South. ICE arrested approximately 3,300 North Carolinians in the first nine months of President Trump's second term - roughly double the number arrested in all of 2024. In November 2025, sweeping enforcement operations in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham resulted in hundreds of arrests over several days. These operations occurred against a backdrop of steadily expanding state-level cooperation requirements that have built over a decade.
North Carolina's enforcement framework begins with the Protect NC Workers Act of 2015, which banned sanctuary city policies statewide. Three additional bills passed in the 15 months from early 2024 through mid-2025 significantly expanded what sheriffs and other agencies must do when they encounter people with possible immigration violations. A fourth bill, SB 153, was vetoed by Governor Josh Stein but remains a live legislative threat as of mid-2026.
North Carolina has no long-term ICE detention facility. People detained in North Carolina are transferred to ICE facilities in Georgia, primarily the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin and the Folkston ICE Processing Center. ICE operates three short-term hold rooms in Charlotte, Cary, and Hendersonville, where people can be held for up to 72 hours since a June 2025 increase from the previous 12-hour limit.
Part 1: Your rights under federal law - everywhere, including North Carolina
These rights come from the U.S. Constitution. They apply in North Carolina regardless of immigration status, citizenship, or how you entered the country.
At your front door
The Fourth Amendment protects your home from government entry without your consent or a judicial warrant. A judicial warrant is signed by a federal judge, based on probable cause, and authorizes entry to a specific address. An administrative warrant - ICE Form I-200 or I-205 - is signed by an immigration officer, not a judge, and does not authorize entry to your home without your consent. Ask through the door which type of warrant is being presented. If it is administrative, you are not required to open the door.
During a traffic stop or street encounter
You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, your immigration history, or your status. You can say you are exercising your right to remain silent and want to speak to a lawyer. You can ask whether you are free to go. If the officer says yes, you may calmly leave.
Do not lie and do not provide false documents. Silence is a legal right. False statements are a separate crime. Many families carry a printed card asserting these rights.
In court or at a hearing
ICE has conducted enforcement operations near North Carolina courthouses. Going to court for any purpose - as a party, a witness, or a crime victim - can create exposure to ICE enforcement nearby. If you must appear in court, plan your transportation and know who to call. The ACLU of North Carolina has tracked courthouse enforcement in the state.
Do not sign anything without a lawyer
Documents presented during an ICE arrest may include voluntary departure agreements or stipulated removal orders that waive your right to a hearing before an immigration judge. Do not sign anything without speaking to an attorney first.
Part 2: The three-bill enforcement framework - what sheriffs must do
The 2015 foundation - Protect NC Workers Act
In 2015, then-Governor Pat McCrory signed the Protect North Carolina Workers Act, which prohibited cities and counties from adopting sanctuary policies. Municipal governments could no longer opt out of cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Sheriffs retained some discretion about whether to enter 287(g) agreements specifically, which became a point of ongoing legal and political dispute.
HB 10 (2024) - notification requirement
House Bill 10, passed in 2024 after then-Governor Roy Cooper's veto was overridden, requires local law enforcement agencies to check the immigration status of certain people they detain and notify ICE when those people may be in the country without legal status. The law covers people charged with specific offenses and requires jails to contact ICE when someone's status cannot be confirmed. It set the baseline for the current cooperation requirement.
HB 318 (July 2025 veto override) - the 48-hour hold
House Bill 318, the Criminal Alien Enforcement Act, was passed by the Republican-controlled legislature, vetoed by Governor Josh Stein, and then overridden in July 2025 with a 72-48 House vote, made possible by one Democrat crossing party lines. The law requires sheriffs to honor ICE detainers and hold people for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release - with the clock starting at the time they would otherwise be released, rather than at booking. Under HB 318, any person charged with a felony, A1 misdemeanor, or impaired driving must have their immigration status checked by a judicial official. This expanded the trigger list from HB 10 and strengthened the holding obligation.
In 2025, lawmakers also expanded the list of criminal charges that automatically trigger immigration checks. Under current law, sheriffs must attempt to determine immigration status for a broader range of charges. A judge at a pretrial release hearing must attempt to determine citizenship status and can order a temporary hold while contacting ICE.
SB 153 - vetoed, Senate overrode, House vote pending
Senate Bill 153, the North Carolina Border Protection Act, would go further than any existing law. It would require state law enforcement agencies - the State Highway Patrol, the Department of Public Safety, and the Department of Adult Corrections - to enter into 287(g) agreements with ICE and cooperate to the fullest extent of the law. It would also require state agencies to verify that non-citizens are not receiving certain state-supported benefits, require UNC constituent institutions to comply with immigration-related requirements, and waive immunity for local governments that violate the sanctuary prohibition.
Governor Stein vetoed SB 153 in June 2025. The Senate overrode the veto 30-19. As of June 2026, the House had not yet taken an override vote, and the bill's path through the House was uncertain. House Speaker Destin Hall had not placed it on the House calendar as of April 2026. The status of this bill must be verified with current sources before drawing conclusions - if the House overrides the veto, SB 153 becomes law and the enforcement landscape in North Carolina expands significantly.
Part 3: The 287(g) landscape and the November 2025 sweeps
Several North Carolina county sheriff offices have 287(g) agreements with ICE, including Cabarrus County, Gaston County, and Henderson County. Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the state's largest county, does not have a 287(g) agreement - but four surrounding counties do, meaning that ICE operations in the greater Charlotte area involve agencies with these agreements even when CMPD itself does not participate.
In November 2025, DHS carried out sweeping enforcement operations across North Carolina over several days - first in Charlotte, then in the Raleigh-Durham Triangle. Federal agents made hundreds of arrests during these operations. NC Local filed public records requests to identify those arrested and determine whether they had criminal charges; the department had not provided that information as of February 2026. These operations occurred independently of local sheriff cooperation and were direct federal enforcement actions.
ICE arrested approximately 3,300 North Carolinians in the first nine months of President Trump's second term, roughly double the approximately 1,650 arrested in all of 2024. This pace reflects the sustained intensity of enforcement in the state, which has been among the most targeted in the South along with Georgia and South Carolina.
Part 4: Detention - where people go
As of May 20, 2026, North Carolina has no long-term ICE detention facility. This means that people detained by ICE in North Carolina are held in short-term hold rooms for up to 72 hours, then transferred to facilities in other states. The primary receiving facilities are:
Stewart Detention Center, 146 CCA Road, Lumpkin, Georgia 31815. This is one of the largest ICE detention facilities in the country, approximately five hours from Charlotte and six hours from Raleigh.
Folkston ICE Processing Center, 3026 Hwy 252 East, Folkston, Georgia 31537. This facility has been expanding capacity and is approximately four hours from Charlotte.
ICE operates three short-term hold rooms in North Carolina where individuals can be held for up to 72 hours (expanded from 12 hours in June 2025): Charlotte, Cary, and Hendersonville. These are processing locations, not long-term detention. After 72 hours, detainees are transferred.
In January 2026, records obtained by the ACLU of North Carolina indicated that ICE was considering expanding detention in North Carolina. Possible sites under consideration included Rivers Correctional Institution in Winton, the former American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro, and a possible warehouse in Concord. As of May 20, 2026, no public announcements confirmed any of these facilities would open. The Greensboro City Council passed new zoning requirements specifically designed to reduce the likelihood that the former Hebrew Academy site could be converted to an ICE facility. ICE has not always notified local governments in advance of detention expansion, so families should monitor this with current sources.
Part 5: What to do right now, before anything happens
Know your A-number and make sure trusted family members have it written down. Because North Carolina has no state ICE detention facility, you may be transferred to Georgia within 72 hours of arrest. Family members need the A-number and the Stewart and Folkston contact information to locate you quickly.
Know that under HB 318, if you are arrested on any felony, A1 misdemeanor, or impaired driving charge, your immigration status will be checked and ICE will be notified if it cannot be confirmed. A 48-hour hold - timed from when you would otherwise be released - can follow. Even an arrest that would normally lead to quick release can now create a window for ICE transfer.
Know the status of SB 153. If the House has overridden Governor Stein's veto by the time you read this, the State Highway Patrol and state agencies will have 287(g) authority, significantly expanding the enforcement footprint beyond county jails. Verify this with the ACLU of North Carolina.
Know your county's 287(g) status. Cabarrus, Gaston, and Henderson counties have agreements. Charlotte-Mecklenburg does not, but surrounding counties do. If you live near county borders, understanding which agency's jurisdiction you are in matters.
Identify an immigration attorney before you need one. The ACLU of North Carolina and the NC Justice Center are primary legal resources. The ACLU-NC has published a 287(g) toolkit specifically for North Carolina communities.
Prepare guardianship documents for any children. Set up a financial power of attorney so a trusted person can manage accounts and property if you are detained and transferred to Georgia.
Part 6: Legal help and resources in North Carolina
The ACLU of North Carolina has published the most current state-of-enforcement tracking for North Carolina, updated as of May 20, 2026. They have a 287(g) advocacy toolkit and maintain information on detention sites, the status of pending legislation, and potential new facilities. Their website is acluofnorthcarolina.org.
The NC Justice Center works on immigration policy and economic justice issues in North Carolina and provides policy analysis and community resources.
El Pueblo is a North Carolina Latino advocacy organization that has been active on immigrant rights issues in the state.
NC Local and WUNC News have been the primary news organizations tracking North Carolina enforcement with depth and accuracy.
For immigration court case information, call the EOIR automated line at 1-800-898-7180. To locate someone in ICE custody, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov. North Carolina detainees are most often transferred to Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, or Folkston ICE Processing Center in Folkston, Georgia. If your person does not appear in the ICE locator, call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line at 1-888-351-4024. Act quickly - transfer to Georgia can happen within 72 hours of arrest.
Immigration Advocates Network lists North Carolina legal providers at immigrationadvocates.org.
North Carolina has built one of the more comprehensive local-state ICE cooperation frameworks in the South through three bills passed between 2024 and 2025, with a fourth - SB 153 - in legislative limbo as of mid-2026. Hundreds of people were arrested in November 2025 sweeps across Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham. ICE arrested roughly 3,300 North Carolinians in the first nine months of the Trump administration. People detained in North Carolina are transferred to Georgia within 72 hours. Your federal constitutional rights apply in full: an administrative warrant does not authorize entry to your home, your right to remain silent is unchanged under HB 318's status-check requirements, and you cannot be compelled to sign anything without a lawyer. Knowing those rights, knowing your county's 287(g) status, monitoring SB 153's status, and having Georgia facility contact information before a crisis are the foundations for protecting your family in North Carolina.
This page reflects conditions as of mid-2026. HB 318 became law in July 2025. SB 153 had been vetoed by Governor Stein; the Senate had overridden the veto, and the House override vote had not occurred as of June 2026. Possible ICE detention facility expansions in Winton, Greensboro, and Concord had not been publicly confirmed as of May 20, 2026. Verify the current status of SB 153 and any new detention facilities with the ACLU of North Carolina.