South Carolina like Texas as Rep. Mace drops bombshell immigration plan: Sheriffs who release criminal illegals could face jail and removal

South Carolina – On Tuesday, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina introduced a new “law and order” immigration agenda at a news conference at the State House. She called it a harsher enforcement framework for South Carolina.

The Republican candidate for governor in South Carolina said that her plan is aimed to move the state beyond symbolic bans on sanctuary policies and toward real penalties for local leaders who don’t work with federal immigration authorities.

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The proposed South Carolina Immigration Enforcement Act, or SCIEA, is the main part of the plan. Mace said that even though state law currently makes sanctuary cities illegal, the law hasn’t always been enforced.

She added that her bill would make it illegal for sheriffs, jail administrators, and local governments to refuse to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“South Carolina already bans sanctuary cities on paper. This bill puts teeth behind that ban,” she said. “If a sheriff releases a criminal illegal alien back onto our streets because they refuse to work with ICE, they should face the consequences, including removal from office.”

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The plan is based on Texas’ Senate Bill 4, which has been challenged in court but remains in place. Mace stated that before writing the law, her team looked at both successful and failed state initiatives to avoid making the same mistakes that had happened in other places.

She says that the SCIEA is based on parts of South Carolina’s constitution that are already in place and that federal courts have already supported.

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If a sheriff, jail administration, or jurisdiction is found to be knowingly not following ICE, they could face both criminal and civil penalties. The bill would make this kind of noncompliance a misdemeanor, which could lead to up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Local governments might potentially be fined up to $25,000 every day. Also, areas that break the legislation could lose access to Local Government Fund money for three years.

Mace’s plan would also require county jails to honor ICE detainers and give the agency at least 48 hours’ notice before letting anyone who are suspected for immigration infractions go.

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It would also let any South Carolina resident file a complaint with the state attorney general if they think a local government is not following federal immigration requests. Mace called this a tool for transparency that would let citizens take part in enforcement directly.

She stressed that the bill is not aimed to punish police departments that currently obey the standards. She replied instead that it sets a clear norm and rewards people who follow it.

“Our sheriffs who are doing it right deserve recognition. Anyone who isn’t should be held accountable. This bill does both, and it’s built to last. There will never be another sanctuary sheriff in South Carolina if I’m in charge,” she added.

Mace’s political career is in a very unstable place right now, so the immigration plan is coming out at a bad time. Only a few weeks ago, she had to officially dismiss rumors that she might leave Congress early to run for governor. After the national media said she had talked about quitting in private, Mace put an end to the rumors with a forthright reaction, saying she would stay in office.

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Those stories brought to light long-standing problems between Mace and the Republican leadership, as well as her difficult connection with former President Donald Trump. While she broke with the party after Jan. 6 and criticized Trump publicly, she later aligned herself with several of his policy priorities, particularly on immigration, as she positioned herself for a statewide race.

Her campaign has also had problems within, such as the sudden departure of an important adviser and further scrutiny of her political ties. Mace, on the other hand, seems set on bringing the focus back to policy. By releasing a detailed plan for enforcing immigration laws, she is informing primary voters that border security and working with federal authorities will be important parts of her campaign for governor, even while people are still asking about her political future.