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Immigration is fracturing North Carolina’s Democratic Party.
A single vote last summer exposed growing divides between public safety priorities and party loyalty, and the consequences haven’t let up.
In Charlotte and across Mecklenburg County, the issue has spiraled beyond policy. What began as a vote over ICE cooperation has triggered allegations of threats, legal petitions, and open warfare within the party.
At the center: Rep. Carla Cunningham, a Democrat who crossed party lines — and Democrat Sheriff Garry McFadden, accused of threatening her after the vote.
North Carolina’s Democratic Party is splitting over immigration.
A single vote exposed deep divides between public safety concerns and party loyalty, and the fallout hasn’t stopped since last summer.
The Vote That Lit the Fuse
Last July, the North Carolina General Assembly faced a stark choice: override Democratic Governor Josh Stein’s veto of a GOP‑backed immigration enforcement bill, House Bill 318, or uphold it. The requires local sheriffs to honor ICE detainers and notify federal authorities before releasing undocumented individuals from custody.
Governor Stein vetoed the bill. But Republicans, joined by a few Democrats, pushed for an override [ [link removed] ], and Cunningham’s vote proved decisive.
The backlash was immediate. Activists and party loyalists turned on her. NC Young Democrats called Cunningham a ‘disgrace’ and warned she would ‘be held accountable.
At a heated town hall [ [link removed] ], voters accused her of betraying immigrant communities and siding with Republicans.
Then came the political retribution: On Monday, Democrat Governor Stein endorsed her primary challenger [ [link removed] ], Rev. Rodney Sadler — a Charlotte pastor and theologian with no political experience, in what some see as punishment for her immigration stance.
“The people of North Charlotte deserve a representative who will fight for Democratic values, defend our public schools, and keep costs down,” Stein said.
Cunningham, under fire, apologized for any hurt caused [ [link removed] ], but she didn’t walk back the vote. She stood by her belief that public safety should come before politics.
When Politics and Law Enforcement Collide
Yesterday, Cunningham and four former employees of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office filed a court petition [ [link removed] ]seeking Sheriff McFadden’s removal from office. The filing accuses him of abuse of power, fostering a hostile workplace, retaliating against whistleblowers, and most explosively, threatening Cunningham directly.
According to the petition, after her immigration vote, McFadden called her and said:
“I don’t want to see you get hurt; you live in my county.”
Rep. Cunningham reasonably understood McFadden’s comments as a threat to either physically harm her, or to refuse her any protection from members of the public who might harm her, said a representative with the sheriff’s office.
District Attorney Spencer Merriweather has now referred the complaint [ [link removed] ]to the State Bureau of Investigation, citing potential misconduct, bribery, and even campaign finance violations.
Why Immigration Policy Matters Here
This isn’t theoretical policy debate. It’s life and death.
Mecklenburg County overdose deaths among Black and Hispanic residents have surged by 200% since 2019, driven by fentanyl and drug contamination, according to county health officials [ [link removed] ].
“Almost every day we see the devastating burden of fentanyl in our community,” said Dr. Thomas Owens, the county medical examiner.
The DEA reports [ [link removed] ]most of the fentanyl fueling overdose deaths is made in Mexico by drug cartels, including the Sinaloa and Jalisco organizations. Republican legislators argue that forcing sheriffs to work with ICE is key to breaking up cartel trafficking rings and reducing fentanyl entry into neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, local violent crime involving illegal immigrants has exploded in Cunningham’s district:
In December, a Honduran national was charged [ [link removed] ] with attempted murder after a brutal stabbing on a Charlotte light rail train.
In 2022, a mass shooter ordered deported [ [link removed] ] in 2022 remained free in Charlotte and went on a spree, killing 58 year-old father Mustaffa Muhammad and wounding others.
These aren’t isolated incidents. For Charloteans, they’re proof that ignoring ICE detainers and politicizing enforcement isn’t just reckless — it’s deadly.
From Party Divide to Political Defiance
Immigration has become a dividing line not just between parties, but within the Democratic Party itself. The vote Cunningham cast exposed deep rifts — between progressive ideals and public safety realities, between political loyalty and local accountability.
Now, Democrats are lining up behind a political newcomer with no track record — not because of what he’s done, but because he’ll vote the party line.
But Cunningham isn’t going quietly.
Cunningham Isn’t Going Quietly
Last night, Rep. Carla Cunningham clapped back [ [link removed] ] at Governor Stein’s involvement in her primary and made it clear she wouldn’t be bullied out of her seat:
“I note the Governor’s decision to involve himself in the 106th District primary… The principle of separation of powers exists for a reason — to ensure balance and keep government accountable to the people, not personal agendas.”
She rejected intimidation and called for leadership that serves the people — not party machines:
“Our communities deserve leadership that listens, not intimidation, division, or political pressure... I believe in service that helps our community thrive, not partisan loyalty.”
Then she dropped the challenge:
“So I ask: What has the Governor — or my opponent — actually done for the 106th District?”
She backed her challenge with a record of securing big-ticket items from Democrats’ wish lists:
$23 million secured for Mecklenburg County
$835 million mental health investment statewide
Efforts to eliminate school lunch debt
Expanded Medicaid and jail safety reforms
Equitable COVID-19 response
HBCU sports wagering legislation gains
Cunningham’s message is clear:
She won’t be pushed aside. Not by her party. Not by her sheriff. Not by anyone.
In a state where immigration, crime, and leadership are on the ballot — she’s standing her ground.
So, who really runs the Democratic Party in North Carolina?
And what happens when one of their own stops following orders?
Stay tuned 🍿.

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