How Can Chapel Hill Best Protect Immigrant Residents?

GOVERNMENT

CHAPEL HILL – “My nightmares are nothing compared to the trauma some families in my community are going through,” Maria Palmer told the Chapel Hill Town Council at the Feb. 25 meeting. “I know you cannot change the reality of armed thugs acting as bounty hunters, but you can stand up to the bullies.”

Palmer, a former council member now running for a county commission seat, was one of more than a dozen residents asking Chapel Hill to become a “Fourth Amendment workplace” to better support immigrant communities. Mayor Jess Anderson said the council hadn’t reached a consensus on the issue. Several speakers urged the council to take that step anyway.

“Not taking a stance is not the correct approach,” Chapel Hill resident Duncan Maclean said. “Cities that have stood up against I.C.E. are currently winning.”

Terror in town

Agents for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) began operations in the Triangle area and other cities in 2025. A September Supreme Court decision authorized immigration agents to detain individuals solely on the basis of their appearance. Critics coined the term “Kavanaugh stops” for this decision, as Justice Brett Kavanaugh was the only supporter to offer a written justification.

Several of the Feb. 25 speakers talked about how much terror immigration raids had spread in local immigrant communities. Fear of leaving the house. Fear of going to school. Fear of children being seized by ICE and removed from the area. Fear of being detained purely to meet a quota. Missing necessary doctor’s appointments due to fear of going outside. Businesses are closing because of customers or employees disappearing. Maclean said one of his children’s friends was unable to sleep for several nights because drones were flying overhead.

Last year Durham and Carrboro both declared themselves to be Fourth Amendment workplaces. NC Local defines this as “a business, or worksite, like a municipality, with staff trained on constitutional protections, specifically related to unreasonable searches and seizures” which are banned under the Fourth Amendment. Durham’s resolution, for instance, directs city staff not to cooperate with federal immigration agents unless they present a judicial warrant.

The best way forward

Prior to the public comment period, Mayor Jess Anderson acknowledged the requests from advocacy groups and community members. However, she said, the council hasn’t reached an agreement on adopting a Fourth Amendment workplace resolution.

“On its face, it may seem simple,” Anderson said. “Given the tension and uncertainty that exist right now, it is very complex.” For instance, some marginalized groups have told the council a resolution risked drawing unwelcome attention to Chapel Hill.

“Our town government remains committed to upholding the Constitution,” Anderson said, and to equity and justice, particularly for vulnerable groups. While the council was committed to civil rights and the well-being of the residents, she added it was necessary to approach the problems “cautiously and strategically.”

Some speakers said the council shouldn’t wait for consensus — a simple majority vote would suffice.

“When we can’t come to a consensus, using our power to block progress is not moral,” Carrboro Town Council member Cristobal Palmer said. “Stand aside.” Palmer added that he was speaking as a private citizen, not as a representative of Carrboro.

“It is critical that all Chapel Hillians feel safe and protected,” Trisha Lester of Indivisible Orange County told the council. “I hope you all will make that happen.”

Resident Julie Welch said she understood the council’s concern that making public statements would trigger a backlash from the federal government. However, she said, the only way to win was to speak out and stand together. The council took no action on the issue. You can watch the meeting streaming here.

Fraser Sherman has worked for newspapers, including the Destin Log, the Pensacola News-Journal and the Raleigh Public Record. Born in England, he’d still live in Florida if he hadn’t met the perfect woman and moved to Durham to marry her. He’s the author of several film reference books and has published one novel and several short story collections. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocalReporter.press