By Clayton Henkel

NC Newsline

STATESVILLE — Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor, released his public safety plan in Statesville on Wednesday. Robinson pledged if elected he would stand with law enforcement, reject efforts to defund the police, and reinstate the death penalty for those convicted of killing police and corrections officers.

Robinson said that he would work with the legislature to pass a bill that requires law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers.

Different versions of legislation requiring North Carolina’s sheriffs to work with federal immigration officials have passed both the state House and Senate, but final votes have stalled because Republican lawmakers have not agreed on details. Gov. Roy Cooper has twice vetoed similar measures.

Advocates for North Carolina’s immigrant have also argued that forced cooperation makes immigrants less likely to report crimes or work with law enforcement.

In an effort to crack down on violent crime, Robinson said that he would “appoint judges that would follow the law” and stop letting violent criminals out on the street “with a slap on the wrist.”

The Robinson campaign charges that the policies of Kamala Harris and Josh Stein have led to a rise in human trafficking and drug smuggling.

Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough, who is backing Josh Stein, called the Robinson press conference is “too little, too late.”

“He may talk the talk when it comes to public safety, but he has yet to answer for his long history of promoting division and making law enforcement jobs more difficult – he can’t be trusted to lead our state,” said Kimbrough in a statement.

Stein’s campaign notes that as attorney general, Stein has helped clear the backlog of rape kits and lead efforts to address the rise in fentanyl trafficking and overdose deaths.

As part of a bi-partisan group of state Attorneys General, Stein helped secure $1.5 billion in funds for North Carolina against the drug companies that fueled a wave of opioid addition.

Wednesday’s press event by the Robinson campaign comes as former President Donald Trump and running mate, Sen. JD Vance, are set to deliver remarks on national security in Asheboro.

Recent polls show Stein with a lead in North Carolina’s gubernatorial race over Robinson.

Deputy Editor Clayton Henkel manages the NC Newsline website and daily newsletter, while also producing daily audio commentaries and the weekly News and Views radio program/podcast.