Immigration Officials Claim Some North Carolina Jails Refuse to Transfer Inmates to Federal Custody

Federal officials and North Carolina sheriffs clash over immigration enforcement claims, with DHS spokesperson’s figures disputed by local authorities.

A senior Department of Homeland Security official’s claim that North Carolina law enforcement is blocking federal access to approximately 1,400 undocumented immigrants in local jails has been met with firm denials from county sheriffs and state officials.

Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs for the Department of Homeland Security, told Fox News that “sanctuary city politicians” in North Carolina were obstructing immigration enforcement efforts. “There’s about 1,400 criminal illegal aliens that, right now, are in North Carolina and Charlotte’s jails that they refuse to turn over to ICE law enforcement,” McLaughlin stated in a video clip shared by the department on social media on November 17.

The claim comes amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement in the state, where Border Patrol agents have been deployed to Raleigh and Charlotte in an operation criticized by some local officials as unnecessary overreach.

However, an investigation by PolitiFact found no evidence supporting McLaughlin’s assertion about the number of undocumented immigrants in North Carolina jails or about local officials refusing to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). When contacted for clarification, a DHS spokesperson simply stated, “CBP has no further information to provide.”

The figure McLaughlin cited appears to have been drawn from a November 15 DHS statement claiming that “nearly 1,400 detainers across North Carolina have not been honored—releasing criminal illegal aliens into North Carolina’s neighborhoods.” The statement did not specify a timeframe for these allegedly ignored detainers, which are requests from ICE asking local jails to hold individuals until federal agents can take custody.

McLaughlin’s claim is particularly noteworthy because it contradicts North Carolina’s current legal framework. In 2022, North Carolina enacted legislation specifically requiring sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration officials. Under this law, sheriffs must inform ICE whenever someone is jailed on suspicion of committing any crime beyond a low-level misdemeanor.

Officials from the two counties where Border Patrol is conducting operations—Wake and Mecklenburg—have directly refuted the DHS spokesperson’s allegations. Sarah Mastouri, spokesperson for the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, told PolitiFact that the office is not blocking immigration officials from accessing any of the 85 people in its jail who are suspected of being in the country illegally.

Similarly, Wake County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Rosalia Fodera confirmed they are complying with detainer requests, noting that between November 1 and November 19, federal immigration officials took 28 people from the Wake County jail into custody.

The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, which represents law enforcement leaders across the state, has also pushed back against McLaughlin’s characterization. “I do not believe that there are any North Carolina sheriffs who are refusing to turn over inmates to ICE as required by law,” said association spokesperson Eddie Caldwell.

While some sheriffs in these counties had historically opposed such cooperation with ICE—citing concerns about potential constitutional rights violations—they maintain they are now fully complying with state law requirements.

The dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement priorities and local law enforcement practices, particularly in states implementing new policies around cooperation with federal agencies. Immigration enforcement has become increasingly politicized, with differing interpretations of data and compliance often fueling public debates.

The conflicting accounts from federal and local officials underscore the complex dynamics at play in immigration enforcement across jurisdictional boundaries, leaving North Carolina residents uncertain about the actual status of immigration enforcement in their communities.