New NC laws, including ICE bill, take effect in October. Here's what they change

Kyle Ingram, The News & Observer (Raleigh) on Sep 30, 2025

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RALEIGH, N.C. — New laws on immigration, child welfare and more take effect on Wednesday.

Here’s a look at some notable legislative changes coming to North Carolina.

Stricter immigration enforcement

Local law enforcement will be required to further cooperate with federal immigration authorities under changes approved in House Bill 318.

The bill expands earlier efforts to force sheriffs to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement before releasing anyone in their custody who is being held on an immigration detainer, a temporary request issued by ICE. Sheriffs will now be required to attempt to determine the immigration status of anyone charged with a felony or drunken driving.

It also requires authorities to hold people with ICE detainers in jail for 48 hours past the point when they would otherwise be released.

Democratic Gov. Josh Stein called this requirement “unconstitutional” in his veto of the bill, saying “officers cannot keep people in custody solely based on a suspected immigration violation.”

He did say, however, that he supported portions of the bill requiring sheriffs to contact ICE about people charged with violent crimes.

With the help of one Charlotte Democrat who broke with her party, Republican lawmakers overrode Stein’s veto of the bill in August.

Foster care and adoption changes

State lawmakers also approved sweeping, bipartisan changes to foster care and adoption laws, some of which take effect this month.

House Bill 612 largely deals with investigating child abuse and neglect cases, enforcing shorter deadlines and creating new procedures to avoid conflicts of interest or other issues.

The bill also requires any city or county employees who work with children to receive a background check.

The bill passed unanimously and got approval from Stein, who said it “protects our most vulnerable children and strengthens our child welfare system.”

New teams to help disabled and elderly adults

Senate Bill 400 allows counties to create new teams to help older adults or people with disabilities who are being served by adult protective services.

Counties would be able to create “case review multidisciplinary teams” which would include professionals from social services, law enforcement and health care.

These teams would review active cases of disabled or elderly adults and make recommendations to the county on how to address systemic problems and service gaps that may exist.

“This bill will help counties improve their adult protective services for older and disabled North Carolinians by creating teams that can share information and collaborate, making vulnerable people safer,” Stein said when he signed the bill.

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