Sheriff-elect Clarence Birkhead is preparing to become Durham’s newest sheriff on Dec. 3.

Sheriffs for North Carolina’s seven largest counties will all be black men. Birkhead is one of them. He said his stance on immigration and ice has had an impact on his campaign.

“We will not cooperate or honor those ICE detainers,” he said.

Birkhead said he has felt that way since 2006. He will have a conversation with ICE after he takes office. The plan is to make sure they understand each other.

“It has impacted our immigrant community significantly, and I just believe that we should keep families together,” Birkhead said.

Birkhead will take office as a law enforcer, which is a position he takes seriously.

“Police or sheriffs are not obligated, or not required, to honor those requests,” he said. “Until the law changes, that’s going to be my stance.”

However, Birkhead adds if there’s probable cause and a person needs to be arrested or detained, his office will follow that.

“I’ll always follow the law. I’ll always enforce the law, and I’ll fall back on the constitution and do what’s right,” he said.

Birkhead promises to not participate in ICE roundups, nor checkpoints of immigration purposes. He said he’s focused on local programs that will welcome and serve undocumented people.