South Dakota’s Immigration Enforcement Efforts Yield Significant Results
Since last year, the National Guard of South Dakota has played a pivotal role in immigration enforcement, assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the deportation of 664 individuals. The Department of Corrections has also contributed by transferring 24 inmates to ICE, while state troopers have arrested 150 people lacking legal status.
Governor Unveils New Training Initiatives for Law Enforcement
On Monday, South Dakota’s Republican Governor Larry Rhoden released these figures alongside plans to enhance training for police officers to further support ICE operations. The State Highway Patrol has initiated training programs that initially prepared five officers to interrogate and detain individuals suspected of illegal immigration under the 287(g) task force model, an agreement facilitating state-law enforcement collaboration with ICE.
Expanded Training Will Boost Immigration Enforcement Personnel
The upcoming training initiative aims to increase the number of law enforcement personnel equipped to assist the Immigration Department significantly. This training program, funded partly by a $165,000 reimbursement from the federal government, will allow individuals under the age of 41 to gain crucial experience in immigration enforcement.
Clarifying Misconceptions Around Arrests and Deportations
Brad Reiners, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, indicated that the agency has only apprehended 150 individuals without legal status, emphasizing that only ICE can confirm their deportation status. As of yet, ICE has not responded to inquiries regarding these arrests.
Additional Inmate Parole and Federal Custody Transfers
The collaboration between the Department of Corrections and ICE has led to the identification of 14 more inmates who are eligible for federal custody and deportation. Governor Rhoden’s approval of the 287(g) program last year has set the stage for greater cooperation between state correctional facilities and immigration authorities.
Recent Developments in Immigration Enforcement Programs
In a notable move, the state Board of Pardons and Parole paroled 10 inmates without legal status to the custody of ICE last August. Rhoden’s office previously disclosed detailed information about each inmate, including their names, ages, countries of origin, and criminal offenses. Furthermore, an additional 14 individuals have been released on parole, with another cohort expected to appear before the parole board in the coming months.
Operation Prairie Thunder and Its Impact on Local Communities
Last summer, the Rhoden administration introduced a robust initiative promoting collaboration in immigration enforcement, dubbed “Operation Prairie Thunder.” This series of saturation patrols has not only focused on undocumented immigrants but has also engaged with community members across 13 South Dakota towns. According to the latest statistics, half of the undocumented individuals arrested under this operation were apprehended during these targeted patrols.
Role of the National Guard and ICE Documentation Processing
The National Guard has been instrumental in managing ICE-related paperwork throughout this initiative. On Monday, it was reported that seven Guard members from Sioux Falls and Rapid City have actively participated in processing the documentation for 664 immigrants deported from South Dakota. According to Josie Harms, a spokeswoman for Governor Rhoden, not all individuals deported originated from South Dakota; some were arrested while merely passing through the state.
The Deportation Data Project tracks immigration enforcement statistics and reported 609 actions recorded in South Dakota based on recent ICE data, highlighting the dynamic landscape of immigration control in the region.
