A new bill filed by State Sen. Phil Berger in the North Carolina Senate seeks to strengthen collaboration between state agencies and federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration laws, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
The bill, filed as SB 153 on Feb. 24 during the 2025 regular session, 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.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Warren Daniel proposed the most bills (10) during the 2025 regular session.
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.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Berger, Buck Newton, and Warren Daniel | SB 153 | 02/24/2025 | North Carolina Border Protection Act. |
| Phil Berger | SB 33 | 01/30/2025 | 26th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
