Old North News

Mark Robinson, Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina said "the dangerous open-border policies of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Josh Stein have made NC a magnet for violent crime." Robinson made the comments on X on August 3.

"This illegal immigrant was arrested for stabbing a man to death. The dangerous open-border policies of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Josh Stein have made NC a magnet for violent crime. They've turned every state into a border state. We need to turn the page on these reckless policies, secure the border and crack down on crime," said Robinson.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democratic nominee for Governor, refused to support a bill that would compel sheriffs to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The bill had been amended in May, requiring the Attorney General to enforce it if signed into law. Stein is attempting to succeed the two-term Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, who opposed the bill. Stein's spokesperson declined to comment on the legislation except to clarify that the Attorney General did not request this legislation, according to a WRAL News article.

Lt. Gov. Mark K. Robinson | Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson Facebook page

Jose Guillermo Yecerra-Ascanio, a 23-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela, has been held without bail in Wilmington, North Carolina on a first-degree murder charge after being previously charged with a misdemeanor for domestic violence on July 28, according to WECT News. He is accused of stabbing to death a 22-year-old fellow Venezuelan named Melvin Gonzalez Vellos. The accused murderer is expected to be held for an additional 48 hours in order to be handed over to ICE.

According to the Carolina Journal, Lieutenant Governor Robinson supports the bill compelling sheriffs to work with ICE and considers it an important step in ending sanctuary cities in North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper has vetoed two similar bills in the past; however, Republican members of the legislature hold a supermajority in both houses, enabling them to override any potential future veto.

According to Lieutenant Governor Robinson's campaign website, "He has championed more transparency for parents in their children’s education, education options, and ensuring schools are safe." He is the first black Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina and a former member of the U.S. Army Reserve.