After ICE Expands Efforts in NC, Siembra NC Offers Important Knowledge
RALEIGH, N.C. — As of September 27, 2026, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol has officially entered into a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), deputizing state troopers to perform federal immigration enforcement functions during routine highway patrols and traffic stops.
The rollout follows the legislative override of Senate Bill 153 earlier this year, which mandated that four state agencies—including the State Highway Patrol and the State Bureau of Investigation—sign 287(g) Memorandums of Agreement. Under the program, state troopers are authorized to question individuals about their citizenship status during traffic stops.
In response, Siembra NC and civil rights advocates are issuing an urgent “Know Your Rights” advisory to North Carolina motorists: Drivers do not have to answer questions about where they were born.
Under North Carolina law, drivers stopped by law enforcement are required to provide their driver’s license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. However, under the U.S. Constitution, motorists and passengers retain the right to remain silent and are under no legal obligation to answer questions regarding their birthplace, national origin, or immigration status.
“This agreement gives state troopers the power to turn a routine traffic stop into a gateway for immigration enforcement simply by asking, ‘Where were you born?’” said Andreina Malki, Defense Manager with Siembra NC. “Every driver in North Carolina needs to know their rights on the road: while state law requires you to show your driver’s license, registration, and insurance, you do not have to answer questions about your birthplace or citizenship status. Exercising your constitutional right to remain silent can be the difference between returning home to your family and being funnelled into the deportation system.”
The deputization of state troopers comes as ICE prepares to open a 1,400-bed private immigration detention facility in Winton, N.C., operated by GEO Group. Siembra NC warns that the combination of statewide highway enforcement and expanded in-state detention capacity will lead to increased racial profiling and the separation of working-class families across all 100 counties.
Siembra NC encourages anyone who encounters a checkpoint, witnesses an immigration arrest on state roads, or needs assistance for a detained loved one to contact their community defense hotline at 336-543-0353.