North Carolina Sen. Berger’s border protection bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill sponsored by State Sen. Phil Berger aims to enhance cooperation between state and federal immigration authorities and restricts state benefits and local policies related to unauthorized aliens, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

In the House, 60 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 46 Democrats opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 28 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 15 Democrats voted against it.

Berger filed the bill in the North Carolina Senate on Feb. 24 during the 2025 regular session.

The legislation, known as SB 153, was passed on June 4 during the 2025 regular session.

According to the North Carolina General Assembly site, the bill’s official text was formally listed with the short title: “North Carolina Border Protection Act.”

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill, known as the North Carolina Border Protection Act, mandates state cooperation with federal immigration officials by requiring multiple state departments to enter into agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These agreements enable state law enforcement officers to perform certain immigration enforcement functions under ICE supervision. The bill also calls for auditing the provision of state benefits to ensure they are not extended to unauthorized aliens, with findings to be reported by specific deadlines. Local governments in North Carolina will forfeit governmental immunity if they adopt sanctuary policies, exposing them to potential civil liability if unauthorized aliens commit crimes. Additionally, University of North Carolina constituent institutions are prohibited from enacting policies that limit enforcement of federal immigration laws. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Warren Daniel (Republican-46th District), Sen. Buck Newton (Republican-4th District), and Sen. Phil Berger (Republican-26th District).

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Berger graduated from Averett College with a BS and again in 1982 from Wake Forest University School of Law with a JD.

Berger, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 26th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Dave Craven.

Under North Carolina law, bills must receive three readings in each chamber. According to the UNC School of Government, once a bill “passes its constitutionally required second reading and moves to its constitutionally required third reading,” additional debate can occur, but the final stage is often treated as a formality. Unless a legislator requests a roll-call, the third reading may be approved by voice vote or unanimous consent without a separate recorded tally.