ASHEBORO NC – Over the weekend, in a now-deleted Facebook post, Erick Hicks, a potential candidate for Randolph County Sherriff in 2022, called for federal immigration agents to come to the protests being held for at Asheboro High School.
Those protest were in support of Ever Lopez, a student who was at the the center of a viral controversy after he was denied his diploma by Asheboro High School for wearing a Mexican flag at the graduation ceremony. Protest were held over the weekend ending Monday afternoon when Lopez walked out of a meeting at the school, diploma in hand. Afterwards, Lopez and his family held a press conference to answer questions from local and national media outlets.
Hicks’ post was referenced during that press conference along with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office’s 287(g) agreement, which permits deputies to act as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents.
Hicks later clarified that the post was in response to threats made against the school and its staff.
Those threats were made public last Sunday night after the Asheboro Police Department said they were investigating multiple threats against the school system and its employees. Last Friday, an email was sent to the school’s public information officer Leigh Marbert that said, “I’m gonna shoot up this school if you don’t give that young man his diploma.” Police stepped up patrols around Asheboro High School and asked anyone with information to contact Lieutenant Mike Jones at 336-626-1300 ext 302.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Lopez gathered with supporters and community activists in front of Asheboro High School peacefully protesting while holding Mexican flags and signs saying “Free Evers Diploma.” At Monday’s press conference Lopez condemned the threats.
“It would be nice to have immigration enforcement on-scene to deal with those who may break the law that law enforcement may encounter and then, at that point, check the legal status because, unfortunately — whether it be Hispanic, any other nationality, whatever — we have a large population of illegals that reside in this area of North Carolina,”
Erick Hicks to The Courier-Tribune