During a North Carolina House Oversight Committee hearing, Republican state Rep. Allen Chesser confronted Democratic Sheriff Garry McFadden about government structure, following the tragic killing of a young Ukrainian woman in Charlotte. Chesser posed a straightforward civics question: "What branch of government do you operate under?" McFadden's responses, which included answers like "Mecklenburg County" and "The Constitution of the United States," left Chesser and other observers astonished at the lack of understanding shown by a top law enforcement official.

The inquiry was positioned within a politically charged atmosphere, especially given the timing after Iryna Zarutska's murder, which raised concerns about law enforcement collaboration with immigration authorities. As the hearing unfolded, it revealed deep divisions on issues surrounding immigration enforcement and local law enforcement's role in cooperating with federal agencies like ICE. Chesser's surprise was not just about McFadden's inability to correctly identify his government branch but also highlighted broader questions regarding the accountability and competency of officials who oppose federal immigration policies.

This incident underscores the ongoing national debates on immigration policy, governmental structure, and local versus federal authority. By spotlighting shortcomings in civic knowledge among elected officials, the discussion could reverberate through political discourse, potentially influencing how law enforcement interacts with federal immigration authorities in the future, and raising questions about the capacity of elected officials to govern effectively in contexts heavily influenced by national immigration issues.