Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood is pushing back hard on accusations that his office quietly cooperated with federal immigration agents in a controversial jail transfer that has rattled a Carrboro neighborhood and spilled into the sheriff’s race. Challenger David LaBarre says the move handed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement an opening. Blackwood insists it did the opposite, arguing his staff tried to keep a volatile situation from erupting in a largely Latino community as in-person early voting rolls on ahead of the March 3 primary.
Blackwood told The News & Observer that before House Bill 318 took effect, his office logged 17 ICE detainer requests and that federal authorities ultimately picked up five people. He cited that tally to argue his department was not automatically turning people over to ICE. According to Blackwood, deputies met face to face with federal agents, reviewed their paperwork and urged them not to carry out an arrest in a Carrboro neighborhood with a large Latino population. He has framed the later decision to move a detainee to another county as an administrative call made after deputies were injured during the arrest, not a favor to immigration authorities.
The case driving the debate is the March 27, 2025 arrest of Jorge Lopez-Duran. Deputies say Lopez-Duran attacked and bit three Orange County deputies as they tried to take him into custody. ABC11 reported that the deputies were left with bite marks and other injuries. After the arrest, Lopez-Duran was transferred to the Alamance County jail, a move critics argue makes contact with federal immigration officials more likely. Neighbors told Enlace Latino NC the transfer stirred fear and deepened distrust in the local Latino community.
What HB318 changed
House Bill 318 expanded state rules around how sheriffs must handle ICE detainers. Under the law, sheriffs are now asked to hold people for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released so federal agents can assume custody, and to notify ICE ahead of any release. Supporters say the extra window gives federal authorities time to take custody of people with immigration concerns. Opponents warn the policy risks unconstitutional detention and undermines already fragile trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement. Reporting on the bill and its rollout has underscored the legal and political squeeze it puts on county sheriffs, according to WFAE.
Where the candidates stand
Blackwood has said he will follow state law where it applies and argues that jail transfers and holds are, in some cases, routine administrative decisions meant to protect deputies and keep jail operations safe. LaBarre has countered that the transfer to Alamance County cut against Orange County’s values and signaled the wrong message to immigrant communities. He has promised more aggressive transparency around any ICE activity and has said he would prioritize monitoring and intervening if deputies use excessive force. INDY Week has detailed LaBarre’s reform platform and his criticisms of the Lopez-Duran transfer.
Community concerns and legal questions
Residents and immigrant-rights advocates say that shuttling detainees to counties known for closer cooperation with ICE can send a chilling message. They warn that even the perception of funneling people toward immigration enforcement can make victims and witnesses think twice before calling the police or reporting crimes. Local reaction gathered by Enlace Latino NC suggests the Lopez-Duran transfer has already shaken trust in law enforcement circles. At the same time, civil-liberties groups caution that HB318 itself could face constitutional challenges for requiring local authorities to detain people longer than they otherwise would. The ACLU of North Carolina has publicly raised those concerns.
Election timing
In-person early voting for the March 3 primary runs Feb. 12 to 28, with Election Day on March 3, 2026. Voters in Orange County will be weighing all of these arguments, legal questions and neighborhood fears as they head to the polls. WBTV and county election pages have the latest details on where to vote and how to cast a ballot.
