Bill > S0735

This bill, titled the "Prohibition of Sanctuary Jurisdictions Act," aims to prevent local governments in South Carolina from adopting policies that restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. It defines a "sanctuary jurisdiction" as any local government entity that prohibits or restricts sharing information about an individual's immigration status or complying with federal detainers, with exceptions for victims or witnesses of crimes. Under this bill, state funds will not be allocated to any jurisdiction found by a court to be a sanctuary jurisdiction, and such jurisdictions could face financial penalties and waive sovereign immunity, making them liable for damages from crimes committed by undocumented immigrants within their limits. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) will publish an annual "Immigration Compliance Report," and the State Treasurer will withhold funds from the Local Government Fund to any county or municipality not certified as compliant in this report. Furthermore, the bill mandates that undocumented immigrants detained by local or state law enforcement must be held until transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), rather than being released into the community, and this status must be considered when determining release conditions for court appearances.

Justice

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=0735&session=126&summary=B