Well the opposition to it came fast and hard. In fact, I don't recall a time where people were more outraged and stirred up because of a bill in the state legislature. And because of the open opposition to the bill, four legislators who had previously supported the bill pulled out.
Leading the charge is talk radio, particularly WPTF 680 AM in Raleigh. Their two local talk show hosts, Bill LuMaye and Kevin Miller (who's also the news director), have received hundreds of emails and fielded several calls by people that can't believe their elected officials would pull a stunt like this. I think this bill was the last straw, and there is a growing wave that's rising against illegal immigration taking shape not only in North Carolina, but all over the country.
And what's helping to make the opposition stronger and more active is the fact that we have a Republican president who doesn't seem interested in protecting this country's borders. Quite the contrary; he wants to make it more accessible for illegal aliens to cross. The fact that he is a Republican president makes it worse, because the conservatives that are against illegal immigration now feel they have to take matters into their own hands before change can happen. Sooner or later, something's got to give.
I bet NC legislators will think twice before they try to pull a stunt like this again. My bet is that this bill is DOA. Very few legislators outside of the urban areas would dare vote for a bill like this.