State's immigration police force has made 122 arrests in 5 years

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Rep. Bruce Bannister of Greenville explains the reasons behind legislation that would require the State Law Enforcement Division to check local governments each year to be sure they are complying with immigration laws. Tim Smith

COLUMBIA – South Carolinians may not know the state has an immigration police force, but it does, and Gov. Henry McMaster wants to move it to the State Law Enforcement Division as part of his immigration-legislation proposal.

The unit is part of the state Department of Public Safety, where it has been making arrests for about five years.

“The Immigration Enforcement Unit has done important work in the area of deterring criminal activity associated with immigration since the unit’s inception in 2011,” DPS said in a statement. “In addition to its investigative and enforcement efforts, the IEU has provided vital immigration and human-trafficking training to more than 2,000 local and state law enforcement, judges and other entities.”

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hen the unit was first organized, its leader said it was not going after those in the country illegally. Rather, the unit’s aim is those participating in criminal activity involving the violation of the state’s immigration laws, such as falsifying identification documents or using falsified paperwork to get hired.

McMaster wants to move the unit to SLED, according to his budget, to “centralize oversight and streamline processes.”

In 2012, DPS officials refused to release arrest numbers for the unit, saying the issue of immigration was a sensitive one.

But this month the agency provided statistics for the squad to The Greenville News, saying it has made 122 arrests since 2012. A year-by-year breakdown was not available.

The unit of six officers and one lieutenant has opened 255 criminal cases and issued 370 criminal warrants, according to the agency.

Of the 370 warrants, 149 have resulted in a conviction and 88 are pending, according to DPS.

The unit also has sponsored immigration or human trafficking-related training to more than 2,000 officers, prosecutors, judges and various agencies, DPS said.

It has sponsored Spanish-language training for more than 50 law enforcement officers.

Lawmakers questioned by The News said they were aware the immigration unit existed but were unsure what it did.

Rep. Todd Rutherford, leader of House Democrats, said while he disagrees with the governor on his other immigration proposals, he does agree with transferring the immigration unit to SLED.

Sen. Gerald Malloy, a Darlington County Democrat, does not understand why the unit should be moved.

"Moving a group to an agency doesn't change the overall problem," he said. "It's just who's in charge. DPS is capable of doing the job. I think that's a personnel issue we're getting into."