Triangle county asks Congress to reform Homeland Security, seek accountability
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- Orange County commissioners passed a 6-0 resolution urging Congress to rein in DHS.
- Board adopts resolution recognizing Black History Month & documenting systemic oppression.
- Board recognized the Human Relations Commission & voiced support for inclusion and safety
Orange County commissioners passed a series of resolutions Tuesday that recognized the fight for equal rights and called on Congress to rein in the Department of Homeland Security.
The unanimous 6-0 vote will forward the resolution calling on Congress to reform the federal agency, require accountability and improve oversight of its immigration enforcement (ICE) operations. Commissioner Earl McKee did not arrive in time for the vote.
The board, located in a heavily Democratic county, also approved two more resolutions unanimously. One recognized Black History Month and the “true history” of Black Americans, from oppression to violence and the lives that have been lost. The other recognized the county’s Human Relations Commission, which was established in 1987.
“I think all my colleagues said it well, so I will not add the importance of this month to me personally, but given what we’re facing as a country today, [I will note] the importance of standing together and looking to fight injustice,” Commissioners Chair Jean Hamilton said.
Commissioner Marilyn Carter read the resolution, which called out violence and constitutional rights violations by federal agents in Minnesota and other states that threaten public safety by eroding “trust that law enforcement officers comply with the U.S. Constitution and federal state and local laws, and that they act in residents’ best interests.”
It’s critical to speak out when needed, Commissioner Amy Fowler said.
“Neighborhoods in Minneapolis have been full of people standing up for their neighbors,” Fowler said. “In Orange County, I want people to remember feeling welcome and included and valued, and to know that we are speaking out for our community.”
Black History Month is “a reminder that progress has never been automatic. It has always required intentional choices,” Commissioner Phyllis Portie-Ascott added.
That includes recognizing that some residents are living in fear and considering how local actions and decisions could benefit or exclude all residents, she said.
“All across the country, we see aggressive rhetoric, heightened enforcement, and families being separated, and even when those actions are happening somewhere else, the fear shows up right here,” Portie-Ascott said.
“I want to say plainly to anyone in our community who feels unseen, unheard, well left behind, that you matter, you are valued, and you deserve dignity, safety and opportunity,” she said.
The county’s Homeland Security resolution follows a call last week from N.C. Sen. Thom Tillis and fellow Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.
Noem’s policies have “inflicted needless pain” on vulnerable people, Tillis said after Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, was killed by federal agents in Minneapolis.
N.C. Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, has also joined the call for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to face “basic accountability.” The U.S. Senate reached a bipartisan deal recently to give temporary funding to Homeland Security while considering stricter limits on immigration enforcement.
This story was originally published February 3, 2026 at 8:49 PM.
