{"id":2512615,"date":"2025-11-19T22:39:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T03:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-candidate-whatley-blames-cooper-for-charlotte-ice-operations\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T22:40:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T03:40:17","slug":"senate-candidate-whatley-blames-cooper-for-charlotte-ice-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-candidate-whatley-blames-cooper-for-charlotte-ice-operations\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate candidate Whatley blames Cooper for Charlotte ICE operations"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsenate-candidate-whatley-blames-cooper-for-charlotte-ice-operations%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2512615&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Republican North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley has criticized his democratic opponent, former Governor Roy Cooper, for recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Charlotte, where at least 120 undocumented immigrants were arrested. Whatley argues that Cooper&#8217;s vetoes of immigration legislation, which would have required sheriffs to honor ICE detainers, forced federal authorities to take action. He claims that Cooper prioritized illegal immigration advocates over the safety of citizens. Cooper,in turn,described the vetoed 2019 bill as unconstitutional and politically motivated,stating it would have overburdened local law enforcement by having them enforce federal immigration laws. Cooper and local sheriffs opposed the legislation due to resource concerns, and a spokesperson highlighted Cooper&#8217;s record of prosecuting violent criminals and critiqued Whatley&#8217;s support for cuts to local law enforcement funding. Whatley insists on cooperation from sheriffs to remove criminal illegal immigrants from the state ahead of the 2026 Senate race.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">North Carolina Senate candidate Whatley blames rival Cooper for Charlotte ICE operations<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2407949\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Republican North Carolina Senate candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3834418\/michael-whatley-raises-record-6-million-two-months-into-north-carolina-senate-campaign\/\">Michael Whatley<\/a> blamed Democratic foe former Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/roy-cooper\/\">Roy Cooper <\/a>for recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Charlotte.<\/p>\n<p>ICE arrested at least 120 illegal immigrants in Charlotte and planned to go to Raleigh on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3892932\/house-ethics-committee-announces-investigation-cory-mills\/\">House Ethics Committee announces investigation into Cory Mills ahead of censure vote<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3892626\/mamdani-not-time-chi-osse-primary-hakeem-jeffries\/\">Mamdani says&nbsp;it&#8217;s&nbsp;&#8216;not the time&#8217; for Osse to primary Jeffries<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3892193\/house-democrat-pull-retirement-court-blocks-texas-plan-redrawing-district\/\">House Democrat suggests he&rsquo;ll pull retirement after court blocks Texas plan redrawing district&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Whatley is running against Cooper for North Carolina&rsquo;s Senate seat in 2026. He said Cooper&rsquo;s governance of the state forced the federal government to intervene in immigration operations.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If Roy Cooper had not vetoed legislation that would have forced sheriffs to honor the ICE detainers, then these people would not have been on the street,&rdquo; Whatley told Fox News.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s unfortunate that the Trump administration has to go into a city like Charlotte and help to clean up the city. It would be great if the state and the local officials were to be as concerned for their citizens as they were for the illegal immigration advocates that they&rsquo;re pushing,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Cooper vetoed bills during his tenure as governor, such as one that would have allowed local law enforcement to honor ICE detainers and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/glendale-ends-contract-with-ice-after-la-immigration-riots\/\" title=\"Glendale ends contract with ... after LA immigration riots\">hold suspected illegal immigrants<\/a> until federal law enforcement could apprehend them.<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MichaelWNCN\/status\/1164214517083115520?s=20\">former governor said the<\/a> 2019 immigration bill was &ldquo;about scoring partisan political points and using fear to divide North Carolina.&rdquo; He also said the law was &ldquo;unconstitutional&rdquo; and weakened law enforcement in North Carolina by &ldquo;mandating&rdquo; them to do the job of federal officers.<\/p>\n<p>He said the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >recent federal law enforcement actions<\/a> in Charlotte <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RoyCooperNC\/status\/1990442383125725505?s=20\">amounted to<\/a> &ldquo;randomly sweeping up people based on what they look like, including American citizens and those with no criminal records, risks leaving violent criminals at large while hurting families and the economy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A Cooper spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the Republican immigration legislation he&rsquo;s vetoed did not receive the backing of sheriffs in Wake, Mecklenburg, and Durham counties.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Roy Cooper is the only candidate who spent his career prosecuting violent criminals and keeping thousands of them behind bars, and numerous North Carolina sheriffs spoke out against this legislation at the time because of a lack of resources; a problem that Washington, D.C. insider and Big Oil lobbyist Michael Whatley has made worse because of his support for cuts to local law enforcement,&rdquo; the spokesman said.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3834418\/michael-whatley-raises-record-6-million-two-months-into-north-carolina-senate-campaign\/\">MICHAEL WHATLEY RAISES RECORD $6 MILLION TWO MONTHS INTO NORTH CAROLINA SENATE CAMPAIGN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The three sheriffs stated in a letter that the Republican legislation would impose &ldquo;substantial administrative burdens&rdquo; on jailers and court staff.<\/p>\n<p>Whatley wants the sheriffs to cooperate. &ldquo;For anybody to say that they want to keep these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-files-scotus-brief-in-case-over-biden-refusal-to-deport-violent-criminal-illegal-aliens\/\" title=\"Florida Files SCOTUS Brief in Case Over Biden Refusal to Deport Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens\">violent criminal illegal aliens<\/a> in their city, that is a huge problem, and that is exactly what we&rsquo;re looking at right now. We need to have sheriffs who are going to honor ICE detainers, and be able to move this criminal element out of North Carolina,&rdquo; he told <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/whatleywarroom\/status\/1991223701639991721?s=20\">conservative journalist <\/a>Benny Johnson.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whatley Blames Cooper for Charlotte ICE Arrests<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2512616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/cooperwhatley.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[20464,6118,54081,33580,37838],"class_list":["post-2512615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-charlotte","tag-cooper","tag-ice-operations","tag-senate-candidate","tag-whatley"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/cooperwhatley.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2512615"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2512619,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512615\/revisions\/2512619"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2512616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2512615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2512615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2512615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}