The case of a Cuban national with multiple arrests and charges in North Carolina returned to the forefront this week, this time as part of the Republican electoral offensive against Roy Cooper, the Democratic candidate for the Senate from that state.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) released a statement on Wednesday in which it used the case of E.V.C., 48 years old, to question the immigration policy that Cooper maintained during his years as governor.
According to the NRSC, the Cuban was recently arrested in Franklin on a drug-related charge. The Republican committee also claims that he has faced allegations including first-degree kidnapping, aggravated assault, possession with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, obstruction of justice, and sale of controlled substances, among others.
The issues faced by the Cuban with the authorities in North Carolina date back to at least 2019 and continued in the following years. According to The Sylva Herald, in August 2019 he was arrested on charges of possession of prescription drugs and a controlled substance from Schedule II.
A subsequent record published by The Macon County News indicates that he was arrested again on November 3, 2020, facing charges for possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or distribute a controlled substance from Schedule II, along with other drug-related accusations.
Republicans now argue that cases like this demonstrate the consequences of Cooper's vetoes on initiatives aimed at requiring local sheriffs to cooperate with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Cooper vetoed projects of that kind in 2019 and 2022. In 2024, he vetoed legislation that included mandatory cooperation with ICE again, although the General Assembly ultimately overrode his veto and the measure went into effect.
Supporters of these initiatives argued that they strengthened public safety, while Cooper maintained in previous vetoes that the legislation used immigration for political purposes and that authorities could already arrest and prosecute individuals accused of serious crimes regardless of their immigration status.
"It is simply another dangerous criminal, an illegal immigrant whom Roy Cooper fought to protect from deportation," stated Nick Puglia, regional press secretary of the NRSC. This characterization is part of the Republican electoral offensive against the former governor.
No version from the accused Cuban or his defense regarding the mentioned allegations was reported in the sources consulted.
The offensive arrives as Cooper competes with Republican Michael Whatley for the Senate seat that Thom Tillis will leave vacant in the November elections.
A survey from Carolina Journal published this Thursday shows Cooper at 49.2% among likely voters, compared to 34.1% for Whatley, while 12.3% remain undecided. The poll, conducted by Harper Polling between September 13 and 15 among 608 likely voters, has a margin of error of ±3.97 percentage points.
Cubans with criminal records have previously appeared in Republican campaigns focused on immigration and border security, while detentions of Cuban migrants by ICE have increased during the current administration of Donald Trump.
Related videos:
Filed under: