2 more North Carolina sheriffs end agreements with ICE

RALEIGH, N.C. — Two more newly elected sheriffs in North Carolina have announced an end to their counties' agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

[RELATED: Immigration advocates voice opposition over 287(g) program]

News outlets report that Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker and Durham County Sheriff Clarence F. Birkhead announced their respective policy changes Friday.

Wake County joins Mecklenburg County in pulling out of the federal 287(g) program, in which local law enforcement agencies check the immigration status of people they've arrested. The 287(g) program has sent thousands of people into deportation proceedings since 2006. Mecklenburg and Wake counties are North Carolina's largest.

Durham County hasn't participated in 287(g), and it will no longer honor ICE detainers, which are used to hold suspects up to an additional 48 hours.

Wake County will only honor existing detainers.

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Associated Press