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The North Carolina General Assembly overrode Governor Josh Stein's veto of a bill that requires greater collaboration between police and federal immigration enforcement.

Legislators bypassed Stein to approve House Bill 318, which strengthens a law passed last year requiring cooperation between North Carolina sheriffs and Immigration Customs Enforcement. The new laws expand when authorities must check the immigration status of prisoners.

Those arrested for nonviolent offenses like fraud or impaired driving must be checked under the new laws.

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Veronica Aguilar is the communication director for the North Carolina-based Latino immigrant rights group El Pueblo. She said the governor raised valid concerns about constitutional violations, such as racial discrimination from ICE.

"It will exacerbate fear and uncertainty in our communities," said Aguilar. 'We also fear that this will discourage victims and witnesses from reporting crimes, and increasing the insecurity of all communities."

GOP supporters of the new law say it addresses public safety concerns. It goes into effect in October.

House Bill 318 also delays the start of a mandatory 48-hour detainment period for immigrants while local authorities wait for ICE to take custody, requiring sheriffs to notify the agency before releasing them.

This raises fears among immigrant rights groups of human rights abuses. Aguilar said laws like this passed in other states have been touted as hard on crime.

"What happens is that people fall into the cracks," said Aguilar, "people who aren't committing these crimes, who are not serious offenders, who maybe have never had a criminal history before also end up being affected and detained, deported and separated from their families because of laws like this."

Aguilar said it's important for community members to know their rights.

Earlier this year El Pueblo released "Safe Families: An Emergency Guide for Immigrants" to assist with that.

"One of the things that's very important is that you do not have to state your status," said Aguilar, "and if you are not being arrested then you may ask if you are free to leave."