The state NAACP will hold a rally on Christmas Eve.

Rev. Dr. William Barber II, president of the civil rights group, and advocates from the Adelante Education Coalition willrally to express their support for illegal immigrants to attend state community colleges.

In August, the board of directors for the N.C. Community College System voted to keep a ban on admission for undocumented students made earlier this year.

Barber will share the Christmas message from Luke 2:7 in the Bible, in which the baby Jesus is laid in a manger because there is no room at the inn.

A press release for the event says there will be "excellent visuals" for TV and photojournalists, but it does not explain exactly what.  

According to the N.C. Sheriffs' Association, seven counties have flagged some 3,182 people who are now in deportation proceedings.

The counties are participating in the 287(g) program, which gives local authorities some ability to enforce federal immigration law.

Mecklenburg County found some 1,693 people in its jail who are now in deportation proceedings or have been deported. Wake County, which joined the program this year, found 485.

Cumberland and Henderson also joined the program this year.

Those interviewed were in the county jail. According to the sheriffs' association, those facing deportation were charged with 3,654 offenses. Here's how those break down:

— 1,600 (44 percent) criminal violations ranging from murder to tresspassing

— 849 (23 percent) impaired driving

— 1,215 (33 percent) traffic violations

Seven counties participating in a program designed to flag illegal immigrants in county jails have flagged for deportation proceedings more than 3,100 people since January.

That figure represents 70 percent of the 4,500 prisoners interviewed in the seven jails that are participating in a federal program designed to allow county and local officials to help enforce federal immigration laws, said Eddie Caldwell, executive vice president and general counsel of the N.C. Sheriffs' Association.

Caldwell's gave the figures for the seven counties as part of a presentation to a legislative oversight committee on crime and corrections.

Under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996, local law enforcement agencies can be granted authority to handle immigration. The seven counties participating in the program are Alamance, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Gaston, Henderson, Mecklenburg and Wake.

On Jan. 1, a law went into effect requiring jail operators to try to determine the residency status of anyone arrested for impaired driving or a felony. But the counties participaing in the federal partnership have much greater access to federal immigration resources.

More after the jump.

Correction: Post and headline have been updated to reflect that it's the federal partnership, not the state law, that most directly led to the removal proceedings.

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Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue has launched two last-minute radio ads that Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory's campaign says are "racist" and "outrageous."

One ad features a narrarator who states that Perdue has a strong record against illegal immigration.

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory is lying about Bev Perdue and illegal immigration. The word for "liar" in Spanish is "mentiroso."

The other ad features "Bill" and "Henry" who say that McCrory has let jobs go to illegal immigrants.

Bill: Hey Henry.

Henry: Hey Bill.

Bill: What you doin'?

Henry: Oh, about to have some lunch. Just opened a can of chili con carne. Care to join me?

Bill: Sure, a little Mexican sounds good.

Henry: Huh, maybe I should I invite that Pat McCrory over too. Have you heard what he said.

Bill: Oh, I know. I read about it. McCrory said it's good that illegal immigrants are here because they're building a lot of our buildings right now.

Henry: Does he think he's running for governor of Tijuana or something?

"This is an outrageous, personal and racist attack," said Richard Hudson, campaign manager for McCrory. "This is a despicable act of desperation by the lieutenant governor that marks a new low for North Carolina gubernatorial politics."

Perdue said Monday night that she was felt it was necessary to respond to ads launched by McCrory and the Republican Governors Association. One mailer by the RGA states that Perdue is rolling out the red carpet for illegal immigrants. One mailer showed up at her house in Chapel Hill.

"When it came to my own house, my own mailbox...enough was enough," Perdue said. "So we've set the record straight...It's an issue that's hard for the people of North Carolina. We want documented folks in North Carolina."

In a new ad, Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan criticizes negative ads from Sen. Elizabeth Dole and notes her record on illegal immigration.

What the ad says: The ad shows images of Dole's ads and Hagan talking with law enforcement officers and voters. Narrator: "Now she's crossed the line. Newspapers are condemning Elizabeth Dole's shameful attacks. A lie born of Dole's desperation. Worse than dishonest. And now new lies about Kay Hagan's immigration record. The facts: Hagan voted to ban driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. Kay's been endorsed by 53 sheriffs, who know she's cracked down on a crisis Washington created. It's time for the truth. And a change." Hagan: "I'm Kay Hagan and I approve this message."

The background: The ad makes several claims about the Senate race.

EDITORIALS: Three major North Carolina newspapers wrote editorials chastizing Dole over a recent ad about Hagan's ties to a member of the Godless Americans PAC.

The Wilmington Star-News wrote that it was "shameful even by today's threshold for slime" and "smacks of desperation." The Charlotte Observer wrote that it was "a lie born of Dole's desperation in a race in which she has trailed for weeks."

And the Greensboro News-Record said it was "worse than dishonest" in depicting Hagan as "godless."

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: Starting in 2000, state Republicans pushed legislation to make it impossible for illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.

The state Senate's Democratic leadership sent all of the bills to die in committee, but a provision in the 2001 budget made it slightly more difficult for illegal immigrants to get a license.

Other Republican bills died in committee over the next several years. In 2006, the House amended a Senate bill to make it impossible for illegal immigrants to get licenses.

Hagan voted for both bills, but she played only a supporting role in the process and did not intervene when earlier Republican measures were pushed aside.

She also cosponsored a 2008 bill requiring employers verify information on new employees and helped pass the 2007 budget, which included $750,000 to help promote a deportation program.

SHERIFFS: In late August, 53 of North Carolina's 100 sheriffs endorsed Hagan, according to the Associated Press. About two-thirds of the sheriffs are Democrats, and none of the Republican sheriffs endorsed her.

Is it accurate? It's overstated. It's true that Hagan voted to ban driver's licenses and supported other measures, but she hardly led a crackdown on illegal immigration. The claims about newspaper editorials and sheriff's endorsements are accurate.

— Ryan Teague Beckwith

A new ad from Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan argues that she "cracked down" on illegal immigration as a state legislator.

The leading candidates for governor agree on one thing.

Democrat Beverly Perdue and Pat McCrory both want to crack down on illegal immigration. Perdue wants to lock illegal immigrants out of community colleges, while McCrory is seeking a new federal detention center to house deportees.

Perdue charges McCrory with allowing illegal immigrants to work on city projects, while Republican mailers bash Perdue for "rollling out the red carpet."

The phenomenon has continued even as immigration has lost prominence among voters. A recent poll showed it was a major issue for only 2 percent of voters, compared to 15 percent a year ago.

But political strategies say that it's still a solid bet in a state with a growing Spanish-speaking population but only a small number of Hispanic voters.

"Citizens of this country want the rule of law respected, and they want the borders secure," said Republican consultant Marc Rotterman. "People don't want to have to pay for health care or welfare or emergency room care for people who come here illegally. ... The overwhelming majority believe this is an English-speaking country." (N&O)

Beverly Perdue's latest radio ad criticizes Pat McCrory on rural issues.

The minute-long ad features two "country boys" named Bill and Henry talking about illegal immigration, transportation funding and a landfills bill.

"I'm surprised he even thinks us folks out in the country can read," says Bill.

"Or have indoor plumbing," adds Henry.

Echoing recent arguments from the Perdue campaign, the ad asserts that McCrory wants to take money away from rural highways and stop paving roads in small towns and allow New York and New Jersey to dump trash in North Carolina.

It also says that he used illegal immigrants on city projects.

As previously noted, McCrory opposed a bill that would have restricted new landfills because of a related tax increase and questioned the state's road funding formula.

After the jump, the script.

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A mailer targets Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan on immigration.

The mailer, paid for by the state Republican Party on behalf of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole's campaign, shows a picture of two Border Patrol agents frisking a man wearing suspenders and jeans.

"Liberal Kay Hagan Gave Driver's Licenses to Illegal Immigrants," it says.

Inside, the mailer argues that Hagan "blocked real illegal immigration reform in the State Senate" for nearly six years and "voted to allow illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses and joined other politicians to help kill tougher restrictions."

As noted previously, Senate Democrats sent legislation to toughen license standards to die in committee for several years. Though Hagan later voted to tighten standards and later for a total ban, it is fair to say that she blocked stronger efforts.

It's a little misleading to say that Hagan "gave driver's licenses" since they could already get them, but she did fail to take them away.

The Republican Governors Association is targeting Beverly Perdue on jobs.

In a mailer sent to North Carolina voters, the national group argues that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate's "failed policies are killing jobs in North Carolina."

Inside, it argues that Perdue has failed to lower taxes, reduce pork barrel spending or crack down on illegal immigration.

It also repeats a claim that a 2001 bill made it easier for illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.

As noted previously, that bill actually made it slightly harder.

The back page of the mailer argues that Republican Pat McCrory "successfully recruited dozens of new companies" and brought the NASCAR Hall of Fame to North Carolina, while the number of homicides in Charlotte decreased.