Michael Whatley on Immigration and Independent Voters
North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley (R) shared his thoughts in an interview about how independent voters prioritize common sense over heightened emotions regarding immigration. He emphasized the importance of appealing to undecided voters in upcoming elections.
Whatley criticized former President Joe Biden for allegedly permitting over 15 million undocumented immigrants into the U.S., which he claims includes many who have felony records and were subsequently released into the country. He pointed out that his opponent, Governor Roy Cooper (D), vetoed legislation that would have compelled local sheriffs, including those in Charlotte, to cooperate with ICE in detaining violent illegal immigrants.
This situation, Whatley stated, led to President Trump deploying military support to rectify issues that he believes Biden and Cooper created in North Carolina, stressing that community and child safety are paramount.
Cooper held the governorship of North Carolina from 2017 until the end of 2024.
According to Whatley, crime has become widespread in Charlotte, attributing this to policies instigated by Cooper. He mentioned changes in law enforcement, such as implementing cashless bail and allowing pretrial releases, which he argues have led to a revolving door for offenders.
Whatley stated, “We have to fight for community safety. We appreciate the president’s actions to address this issue by bringing in a supportive team to remove harmful individuals from the streets. The fact that our borders have become more secure over the past six months, with no illegal immigrants apprehended and released into the U.S., is a positive development. It wasn’t about new laws; it was about a change in leadership.”
However, he acknowledged that not all of his policies would resonate with the 40% of independent voters in the state, noting that their sentiments can vary greatly across the political spectrum. Yet, he highlighted that there exists a significant middle group that values common sense over chaos. He argued that Cooper’s priorities have skewed toward protecting criminals and undocumented immigrants rather than serving his own constituents.
